


Skyscrapers, Please Forgive Me

by AichiYume



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Fingering, Anxiety, Bad Attempts At Doing Their Job, Bad Flirting, Body Worship, Bottom Mello, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Breakfast, Brief Mentions of Light, Business Trip, Chess, Childhood Friends, Comfort, Devotion, Dirty Talk, Dom/sub Undertones, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Falling In Love, Fighting, Finally They Get to Work, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Homecoming, Idiots in Love, Kissing, Literal Sleeping Together, Living Together, Love Confessions, Lover's Quarrel, Loyalty, M/M, Masturbation, Matt is a Loyal Dog, Matt is a nERD, Mello is a Brat, Mentions of Handwriting Analysis, Mentions of L, Mentions of Masturbation, Mentions of Near - Freeform, Mild Hurt/Comfort, New Relationship, Oral Sex, Partners to Lovers, Phone Sex, Pillow Talk, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Public teasing, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Rivalry, Shut Up Kiss, Sleeping Together, Slow Burn, Some angst, Something Not Kira Investigation-Related, Stop Swearing Mello, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tsundere Mello, Useful Matt Is The Best Matt, Worry, chess as an argument, coming home, kiss and make up, progressively better flirting, shower scene, small argument, top matt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:54:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 28,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AichiYume/pseuds/AichiYume
Summary: Matt traveled quite a ways to get to Japan and find Mello. Luckily, it seems to be going well for him so far.
Relationships: Matt | Mail Jeevas/Mello | Mihael Keehl
Comments: 13
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A little break from HP to talk about a pairing and a dynamic I absolutely LOVE. I have been obsessed with Matt and Mello for years so when I got the chance to write them: I ran with it. A note; the canon divergence is that Matt had to track down Mello who was really hoping to handle this whole Kira thing on his own with a little help from some friends. In the meantime, let's enjoy these two getting to know each other again.

“Yeah, I just got your last email. No, I didn’t read all of it. I’m whispering because there’s no point in raising my voice to you just yet. If you can give me an hour, I’ll be there. I have a few things here to take care of first.”

“Mello…? What are you doing up this early?” 

The mention of his name made Mello practically throw his cell phone across the room. He opted instead to hang up quickly and turn to face the source of the brief interruption. “How long have you been up?” he asked the male that had so rudely disrupted his conversation. “I felt the weight shift when you left the bed.” Matt said, rubbing his eyes some. The unfiltered light must be rough on his eyes considering that the red head saw the world mostly through orange-tinted lenses. “We aren’t children. You could’ve just gone back to bed.” Mello grumbled, before making eye contact once more. “I would’ve woken you up sooner or later. I guess it’s better you’re up now; breakfast won’t get cold.” he said in a hurry, almost hoping that by saying it so nonchalantly would render the statement powerless. 

At first, the words that came out of Mello’s mouth might as well have been said in another language but once they ordered and arranged themselves in Matt’s mind, it only seemed to make him more confused. If he had to take these words at face value, the person that he considered to be one of the most important to him woke up before him and had apparently lovingly prepared a meal for him. It was something that happened frequently when they were children, and even as children, it was just as important to him. “Quit your gawking and sit.” Mello’s words were much harsher now, that was more familiar to him. Obediently, he followed Mello’s instructions and sat on the sofa as per the blonde’s command; mindful not to bump against the coffee table that had claimed his shins more than once as he made many trips around his current apartment in the dark. 

Egg in a basket.

Out of the limited things that Mello could make, it was egg in a basket. It was one of the first things Mello learned to make and it was one of the few things he knew Matt would reliably eat. Matt usually saw the world through orange-tinted glasses but he was beginning to wonder if in their time together, the lenses he wore had turned rosy: certainly someone as crass and vulgar as Mello would have long since shunned any level of sentimentality as preparing with such care a dish the two of them often shared as children. 

“Where did these groceries come from?” Matt asked before digging in, his free hand beckoning Mello over to him. “The store, you moron.” Mello replied but gave into the request to join the redhead on the sofa, he pressed firmly into Matt’s shoulder, once more proving that he cared very little for any of the boundaries that Matt did all he could to maintain. “You’re a hard sleeper once you’re asleep, I had time. No one saw me go in or out and I paid with cash.” he finished his statement as if he could anticipate the line of questioning Matt would likely have for him after the revelation that Mello despite being part of a high-profile murder investigation would gallivant around in broad daylight to complete a domestic chore. The answer seemed to sate Matt and he was comfortable enough to take another bite, thick runny yolk ran from the egg nestled within the bread. “You know, I like the yolk more set.” Matt said, doing his best not to be as tense as the blonde cozies up to him. “And I like the yolk runny. I made it; deal with it. When you get up and make your own damn breakfast, you can cook the egg however fucking hard you want.” Mello puffed up some at the slight Matt lobbed his way. “But since apparently you refuse to put any food into your body that isn’t an energy drink or a goddamn cigarette, someone has to take responsibility for your diet so your body doesn’t waste away into nothing.” Mello said, clearly unhappy to show that he even for a moment cared about the other male that had done so much to reinsert himself back into the somewhat solitary blonde’s narrative.

“Says the man whose diet consists entirely of chocolate, sexual innuendo and more chocolate.” Matt retorted only to promptly be slugged in the arm by Mello, fortunately, Mello didn’t hit very hard: one of two things Mello was not good at, punching and aiming a firearm; likely both for the better considering Mello’s temperament. 

“What are you going to do about it: feed me?” Mello said with an indignant sigh. Matt however didn’t see the question as so far fetched, if anything it sounded like a passive aggressive command. Matt offered Mello a forked off morsel, the blonde did prepare the meal, he might as well enjoy it as well. Mello was at first surprised by this but as soon as he processed it all, he corrected his posture to accept the gesture. 

This was normal, wasn’t it? It was only feeding a childhood friend. That was all. Nothing more, nothing less. Mello took the bite off the fork, slowly, methodically and only breaking eye contact for a brief moment. Matt hoped that he wasn’t red in the face: was Mello always this erotic?

Mello carefully licked the runny yolk from his lips and Matt wondered if that was the true reason he kept the egg set soft: just to fluster him. 

“It’s good.” Mello said, mostly to confirm that he himself had done a good job. 

“Yeah, it’s good.” Matt repeated in hopes of throwing off Mello’s keen abilities to find any manner of weakness in a person. Mello nestled in closer, Matt’s efforts to hide that he was even the smallest bit anxious were foiled immediately. “What was the tell?” Matt asked, in hopes of learning from his prior mistake. 

“Your ears go red when you’re nervous. It’s an obvious tell.” Mello practically purred, clearly too proud of himself and incredibly proud of flustering the other. 

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Matt said a bit more tersely. Mello’s expression steeled some. “How much did you hear?” he asked, his tone was flat and cold.

“Most of it...who were you talking to?” Matt replied, he eased back some. He wanted to study the look of Mello’s face. “My handler...the person who was supposed to keep me under the radar but then you somehow tracked me down and showed me all those wonderful little holes in my security plan.” Mello spat out those words some, though most of the venom in his words had been dulled by the closeness he had maintained to Matt. He was still annoyed and angry at finding that the person he decided to trust in the early phases of the investigation was someone who was incompetent; if anything Matt finding him was truly god-sent though he’d never admit such a thing. “Then I’ll go with you.” Matt said but immediately Mello placed a finger to his lips. “Nope. No way in hell. You’re staying right here. You have things to get me, remember? You promised me all kinds of things last night before we went to bed.” Mello purred some; every word seemed a bit like a purr or a wanton sigh to Matt. “Someone has to keep you out of trouble.” Matt said, his hand wrapping around Mello’s wrist to move the other’s teasing hand away from his face. “You’ve gotten stronger. You couldn’t do this when we were kids...” Mello muttered some, mostly annoyed that his childhood friend had gotten taller and stronger than him. Matt used to be weak and delicate and needed protecting and now it was Mello who seemed to be the one in need of protection. There were many things Mello didn’t like about that arrangement but if he needed to be kept safe by someone, it might as well be Matt. Mello sighed in resignation. He wasn’t going to get his way this time. 

“Fine. Dammit. Just...don’t embarrass me.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long day. Perhaps Matt and Mello should take some times to have an honest conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh y'all wanted a twist? Yeah! There are MORE chapters! Thank you so much for your kudos and comments. It makes my old heart so happy to be back to writing fanfic and sharing it.

“Your handler’s a bitch.” Matt said, setting himself back down on the sofa with a small exhausted sigh. “Yes, she is but complaining about her doesn’t make her any less of a bitch and complaining to me about it won’t make her less of a bitch.” Mello replied, not giving Matt any space despite how spacious the sofa was. Matt was not sure if he’d ever get used to Mello cuddling up to him like this even if he couldn’t say that he didn’t enjoy it. He had spent years trying to get Mello to look at him and now he was firmly in Mello’s line of sight.   
“How long do you think this case will take to solve?” Matt asked a question he knew Mello had no answer to. “I have no fucking clue...if this guy could outsmart L...then there’s a real chance that no one could outsmart him.” Mello hated admitting that there was a distinct possibility that this case was impossible, but his ego would not let him drop the case. He was willing to face a case that very well may kill him if it meant beating Near. But he was not expecting to have a partner in this case. At least this was a partner he knew and trusted. 

“But you’re smarter than Near, I mean, that goes without saying.” Matt said, rather sincerely. Mello let out a gruff little sigh then. He knew that Near was intelligent, the white-haired little brat merely lacked people skills or the desire to be active in any way, form or fashion. To even be chosen to be in line as a replacement to L, Mello had to have some intelligence; otherwise he simply wouldn’t have made the cut but in comparison to Near, even he had to feel a little lacking in that department. But Matt had done the thing that Matt was best at: being a very loyal dog. Of course he had to be so willing to be honest and speak so highly of Mello, certainly something the blonde didn’t need. Mello did not need his ego fed, far from it but the lavish attention was something he was more than willing to lap up from his very eager dog. Mello shifts up from his seated position, he makes his way to the window that overlooks busy Japanese streets and signs in a language he can’t read. He has to do something, he has to do something to quiet the voices in his head that are at odds. On one hand he knows he can’t and shouldn’t be close to anyone; yet alone the man he spent his entire childhood defending, protecting and bossing around. On the other hand, he can’t deny how being praised by Matt twists at his heart and can almost bring color to his cheeks. Mello had always planned on Matt being his loyal pet; that was always part of his great plan to be better than L and Near. What wasn’t part of his plan was that Matt would develop into, much to his chagrin, a pretty decent looking (handsome) man who had not taken the hint at all to give him space and pretty quickly joined his side with what he can only assume is a worried look on his face from behind those orange-tinted lenses. “Did I say something wrong…?” Matt asked, a hint of innocent trepidation to his voice. He’s sincere, he’s so fucking sincere. He’s always been so damn sincere. Mello shakes his head, a little scowl on his face: for the first time in his cocky little life he’s not entirely sure what to say. “No. You did everything right.” the blonde huffed with misplaced dissatisfaction but his attention was taken when a gloved hand reached for the rosary around his neck. The movement of Matt’s fingers thumbing over the now not-so religious item so close to his heart sent an unwanted little shiver down Mello’s spine. Close, so close. They were so close. Thank god and all the angels in heaven it was dark as this open window would be excellent to spy on the both of them from.

“I need you to know that things are about to get really fucking serious.” Mello started, his hand reaching up to grab the scruff of Matt’s collar, bringing the taller man down to his eye level. When did he grow taller than him? “You’re a good and loyal dog, and I’ve always appreciated your determination to stay by my side but we’re dealing with a murderer; someone who was smart enough to take L down. If you have any...reservations about this whole arrangement; you should say so now and let me get on with the investigation.” Mello said, the usual certainty in his voice wavering ever so slightly. It just didn’t seem fair to rope Matt into danger like this; this was different than staging elaborate childhood pranks or stealing chocolate from weaker children at Wammy’s House. This could potentially be life and death and while Mello rarely had an issue lovingly forcing Matt into reckless situations, it felt appropriate to at least once ask His Dog what he wanted. 

Matt, of course, took being lowered down all in stride though it did dislodge his grip from Mello’s necklace. He listened to Mello carefully, as he always did, being sure to let the blonde speak and get what was on his mind off his chest. Call it blind faith or even devotion but there was never really a question in his mind about sticking with Mello during this whole thing; danger be damned. “Why would I have any reservations? I hacked through hours of firewalls, dealt with some of the shadiest people online and traveled across the damn sea just to find you. Why would I give up now? I’m gonna help you accomplish your dream. I can’t go back on my word.” 

There was rarely an ounce of cynicism in Matt’s words. Sincere, he was always so fucking sincere. Why wouldn’t he just be untrustworthy and unreliable like everyone else? It left Mello trembling inside: he had grown so used to dealing with people he couldn’t trust. CIA operatives, special forces, double agents, informants and people who profited most off of being inauthentic and lying. But here wagging his tail proudly was a dog that has followed him around for most of his life and without a single moment taken to consider whether his life was acceptable or not, Matt accepted Mello’s less than little proposition. Mello finally let go of Matt’s collar though Matt didn’t immediately correct his posture of leaning over to meet Mello’s gaze. The fed up little noise that left Mello’s mouth almost sounded disappointed at the rather lofty words of devotion his pet was so eager to spill but far from it; he just didn’t know how to process such exaltation. 

“Fine. Just don’t come crying to me about it when the work gets rough.” Mello replied, finally able to extricate himself from the stifling closeness that Matt had imposed upon him. 

“I’m using the shower first.” Mello said, making his way to the bedroom they now shared. “And if you keep me up all night again with that damn handheld, I’m shooting out your precious car’s tires again.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it hot in here or it is just these two?

Hot. It’s so hot. Almost unbearably so. How did they end up like this: with Mello straddling Matt on the edge of the bed they’ve been sharing and their mouths pressed oh so close together in a kiss that feels equal parts like an intimate dance and an angry battle for dominance. 

Mello’s bare hands clutch to Matt’s shirt; something, anything, to ground him as he feels light-headed under the pressure and heat of such a kiss. He’s no longer sure who initiated and at this stage, it does not fucking matter. Matt’s a decent kisser, to his credit. Mello was suddenly unsure of his previous claims that this would be his first though he couldn’t imagine a woman or man for that matter that his partner would show interest in. From what he could gather, Matt’s type seemed only to be him and what about him in particular that the other found appealing outside of what Mello could assume was his obvious good looks was a mystery. Mello has rarely gotten the benefit of feeling like the blushing virgin and yet here he is, clearly enjoying himself a little too much with the friction that is created between the two of them when he presses his hips down onto Matt’s lap, feeling quite proud of the arousal he’s managed to coax from the usually reclusive gamer. 

The noise that breaks their kiss and leaves Matt’s throat is sinful and Mello hisses at the loss of the other’s lips against his. “Why…” Mello exhales, trying to steady his breath and happy to fog up those damn orange goggles that are in his way from seeing Matt’s eyes. Matt frowned a little at the obscuring of his vision, only to shoot Mello a less than pleased look. “Aren’t we moving too fast…?” 

Fast? Were they moving fast? Was this not years in the making? Had Mello misread Matt’s earlier signals? All Mello can do is groan at Matt’s little admission. “Too fast for who exactly?” Mello inquired, his brow raised and erection quickly fading. Matt felt small in the moment; with Mello for once towering over him with a wild look in his eyes half way between fervid desperation and a level of annoyance that usually ends up with the barrel of a handgun to someone’s temple from the typically moody blonde. They were practically all over each other on the elevator ride up; brushing touches, lingering glances, bated breath before Mello finally pulled the red-head down into the first kiss the taller man had ever shared with another human being. Touch-starved bodies flush against each other and a hurried attempt to look presentable once more in flimsy disguises meant to let the obvious foreigners “blend in”. That momentum came to a head once the door clicked open and pressed closed but now that they were so close to actually doing something about that damn lack of intimacy, Matt had the audacity to stop them. 

“Well...it’s my first...and…-” Matt was cut off by the most irked noise exiting Mello’s throat and tense fingers bunching at the fabric of Matt’s vest. “I get it; you’re a damn virgin. I know that.” Mello said trying not to let his waning arousal cloud his judgement too much. “It’s not like you’d be losing your precious goddamn virginity to some fucking hooker off the street.” the blonde spat rather bitterly at his partner. “I know, Mello, I know.” Matt tried to reassure the blonde who still gazed down upon him with a small twinge of seething disappointment to him. The red head felt heat come to his cheeks, a more innocent flush this time than the heated flush that covered them when Mello ground his hips against him. “I don’t want to do this if it’s just convenient for you. Just because you’re hard.” Matt said; why oh why was he so fucking sincere? But that was enough to snap Mello out of his little rage created by losing his boner in the absolute last way he wanted. He merely let out an exasperated sigh and pushed those damn goggles up to look Matt in the eye. It took Matt a moment to let his eyes adjust to the light and met Mello’s gaze. “There was something hard of yours pressing up against my ass until you decided to slow things down.” Mello countered at first but tried to be as diplomatic as possible. There was a troubled virgin underneath him that apparently needed some reassurance. But Mello wasn’t sure why Matt would need reassurance at all.

They had been together since they were children, Matt crossed an entire damn ocean for him and promised loyalty and fidelity and yet there was some doubt whatever or whoever was to come from this would just be the machinations of two desperate men? “You’re an idiot...a decent lap dog but you’re an idiot. You’re the only person who I’d let be by my side or fuck my ass. If you really think that I’d do this with just anyone then you’re even dumber than I thought.” the blonde said with an exhausted little huff before leaving a shockingly chaste kiss on Matt’s lips. This kiss was different, hardly the frenzy that shared in the elevator but Matt seemed far more receptive to taking things slow, his hands slowly wrapping their way around Mello’s waist as the blonde pulled away. 

“Now, bring me something nice and something chocolate to make up for not pounding me into next week.” Mello said, finally removing himself from Matt’s lap and pressing the heel of his boot into the red head’s side. Matt simply laughs, having finally processed that Mello might as well have said something quite romantic and removed the other’s boot from his side. He slid the lenses that colored his vision back to their proper place. “Yeah yeah...I hear ya’.” Matt tried to wave off Mello’s fussy little demand as he got up to leave and in fact, heed Mello’s fussy little demand. “And….thanks. For tellin’ me that if we had; it wouldn’t have been some one night stand.” he said before making his way across the room and out the door to do what all good dogs do which is exactly what their masters say.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's actually get some work done, perhaps. No? Alright, that's fine, too.

At first the noise is just ambient. Mello is unwrapping what may possibly be the fifth chocolate bar of the evening and Matt is doing his best to ignore his partner’s funny little habit with the rhythmic beats and mindless distraction that vintage video games brought him. Mello said he was going over case files; that was at least the presumption of the evening: working in bed. This is normal, right? Childhood friends that may now have done some heavy petting and kissing working alone together in the bed they have shared since Matt decided that a transoceanic trip was worth finding the mouthy blonde. 

Mello had once more cozied up to Matt, apparently leeching body head off of the red-head and he thumbed through case files; though it seemed to Matt that every periodic glance he took at Mello, he was on the exact same page. How Mello could concentrate on anything for so long was a bit of a mystery to Matt who needed a nearly obscene amount of stimuli to calm his brain down. 

It’s damn near domestic; just two men comfortable in their mutual comfortable silence if one could ignore the tinny beeping and aggressive chewing. That was of course, until Mello leaned further into Matt and his occasional glances at the screen became a little less occasional. “What’s the objective here…?” Mello asked, clearly less than impressed with the technological wonder it was to have a handheld of that age still up and running. “Get from point A to point B with the most points and dying the least amount of times.” Matt replied, trying to keep his focus on the game while also dealing with Mello’s probing. The blonde leaned in even further, having now discarded his work seemed content to watch Matt play. “How’s the handwriting analysis going?” Matt inquired, meeting Mello’s gaze for a bit before being immediately chastised in game for his lack of attention. “Boring as shit.” Mello groaned some but he hadn’t just been staring at the same page for an hour. “But there’s for sure a bunch of different handwriting styles on these copies. Mello was still skeptical of the entire idea of a notebook that could kill, despite the fact that he was concerned enough about the prospect to be dealing mostly with copies given to him by his handler on the case and refusing to touch them with his bare hands. “Not just the obvious sample from Ray Pember but even within the notebook itself, there’s different writing styles; probably heightened emotions or some shit based on the drag of the pen.” 

Matt always admired that deductive part of Mello’s brain, the part of the blonde that figured out easily how to steal things from other kids in their shared youth and now was using those powers for good. “But just like how I have these copies, I wonder if it’s possible to share those notebook pages...but that hasn’t been tested or proven.” the blonde finished, a small quirk in his brow as he tried to figure out what the appeal was in Matt’s little game. “Brilliant deduction, Mello.” Matt did try to be genuine with his praise though he knew that Mello hardly needed it. Mello couldn’t help but smile some at the adulation but what he wanted was Matt’s attention. Matt seemed lost in the collection of pixels that he would dare shun the warm body so eagerly pressed up against him. Well, Mello would have to change that. He set his work down on the night stand beside him, tugging off his gloves and discarding them with much less care. The chocolate bar (the fifth chocolate bar, to be precise) had long since been finished and its wrapper had been carelessly tossed aside leaving Mello an entirely clear path to lean further into the space at Matt’s side, slotting himself perfectly just under his neck. At first he merely stayed there for a while, enjoying Matt’s body heat, the smell of lingering cigarette smoke and the steady rhythm of the red-head’s heartbeat. 

How many nights had they done this; cozied up to each other and just enjoyed each other? This little intimate dance had been one they started as children and now it seemed that the devotion and loyalty that kept them together in childhood had developed into a bond that most would find enviable. Shockingly secure and surprisingly strong. That was the bond that Matt and Mello had built. 

Quiet, however, was not the kind of bond they had built. 

“You’re such a fucking virgin.” Mello said, drawing little nonsense shapes with his bare hand on Matt’s forearm. “I’ve been right here for hours and you rather play a stupid video game than even try to rid yourself of your virginity.” the blonde finished, taking the time to press his lips to Matt’s neck as if to add insult to injury. 

The kiss to his neck is enough to finally get a reaction out of Matt, giving a far harsher bite to the cigarette clenched in his jaw than intended. This was new. Sure they had kissed heavily, done a little bit of humping and for sure had expressed some feelings for each other but was Matt supposed to be throwing his not quite so innocence away? It did feel good; he couldn’t deny that; even when Mello’s kissing turned to rather possessive little bites. 

The red-head let out a small sigh, finally setting down the handheld to give Mello more of his attention. Ashing his cigarette onto the nearby overturned cup that has been turned into a makeshift ashtray; Mello now had what he wanted: Matt’s full attention. 

“Why are you so damn eager to rid me of my virginity?” Matt asked, tilting Mello’s chin up with his hand to meet his gaze. “You can’t be that damn horny that you’re willing to just throw yourself at me.” 

Mello rolled his eyes, giving his partner an irritated little “tch” in response. “I’m hardly throwing myself at you. You’re the one that crossed the damn ocean for me. I’m just trying to make this more than worth your while.” Mello replied only to be coaxed into further silence by Matt’s lips upon his. They hadn’t really kissed like this before; quiet, calm and trusting and to be perfectly honest, it left Mello more than a little wide-eyed and stunned at his virgin’s boldness. Matt pulled away but lingered oh so close to the blonde’s lips “You don’t have to suck my dick or anything to make this ‘worth my while’. Now...you should get back to those handwriting samples so your handler will stop calling at all hours of the goddamn night.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Mello, you really should take a look at this.” Matt had gestured to one of the many computer screens that now lined most of the wall space in the living room they so happened to share. Mello had been sprawled out on the couch, somewhere in between “working” and what was likely a nap. He groaned and made as much noise as humanly possible to display his displeasure at being woken up. His footsteps are so quiet without boots on and Matt finds the space of his lap overtaken by Mello. Mello seated himself in between Matt’s arms and with his back flush against Matt’s chest. Matt adjusts his body to accommodate Mello’s body, lifting the controller he was using to manipulate the screens up a bit to let the blonde settle into his more deeply. “What am I supposed to be looking at?” Mello squints some at the mess of code and litany of open tabs and windows on the monitors in front of him. “Oh...sorry ‘bout that.” Matt corrects the mess of his screams and with a few button presses, a map appears. 

“This should be more clear. I was going through cell tower data and found some interesting clusters.” Matt continued, reaching up to point out the information that should be interesting to his investigator partner. “The hotspot of L’s prime suspect really centers in a few key places but there’s only one location that feels off. It’s not near any of the locations and seems a little weird for a student, doesn’t it?” It was genuinely fascinating watching Matt work, he was clearly no slouch as any kid that was allowed in Wammy’s House had to be a viable replacement for L. Matt had his own deductive skills but used most of his brain power to protect Mello and follow along with the blonde’s schemes. “It’s only boring if you were a boring fucking student.” Mello retorted but he did notice the pattern and that one abhorrent dot did stand out plain as day. “But you’re right. It’s out of place. Good work.” the blonde finished, trying his best to sound sincere. “We’ll check it out when we’re back from getting groceries.” he finished, rather enjoying the warmth that came from being caged in my Matt’s arms and pressed to his chest. “We?” Matt asked. “You can’t handle that on your own?” he looked down to see Mello’s then owlish eyes looking back up at him. “I can handle it on my own. You’re the one actin’ all insecure about what we are; couples do shit like that, don’t they?” the blonde spoke those words clearly but somewhere in between “insecure” and “couples” Matt’s brain seemed to have trouble processing exactly what Mello had said. Couple? They were a couple? Well of course they were. They kissed, okay, by now a little more than kissed; they held hands, they slept in the same bed, and did nearly everything together. They were a couple even if they had never said they were a couple.

Mello was less than tolerant of the short circuit he had caused in Matt’s mind having since oriented his body to have his front facing Matt. He angled up and pressed his hips to Matt’s lap and the shift in weight was enough to topple the red head over onto his back with a not so dignified sound leaving him in a hurry; the controller he was using to navigate the screens behind them fell with a small thud to the ground. 

“Is this something couples do?” Matt chided Mello, letting his hands rest on the blonde’s hips. “Yes, it is, ‘specially when one half is being an idiot.” Mello growled some at Matt’s seemingly endless capacity to be dense. “Besides, if you go shopping with me you get to pick the brand of condoms you want. Unless you want to be a spoiled brat and have your first time be done raw.” Matt turned red at Mello’s casual lewdness, the blush creeping up to invade the space where orange tinted lenses met his cheeks. “Tch...c’mon, it’s way too early for you to be a tease like this.” the red-head relented, letting tenuous hands grip to Mello’s hips. Had the blonde always been so fit? His diet was...well, chocolate, spite and innuendo; how did he manage to look so damn good? Mello, of course, noticed the intrusion onto his waist and had no issue letting more of his weight drop down onto Matt’s lap; the little gasp he earned was more than worth the minimal effort. “Never too early, certainly not if you keep makin’ cute noises like that.” the blonde teased. “Let’s go; the sooner we check out this location you worked so hard to find we can have some real fun and work on something else hard.” The blonde finally relented and got up off of his partner, making his way back to the bedroom they shared, likely to gather supplies and freshen up. The whole time Matt just couldn’t help but stare. He was, by all measures, a virgin who somehow managed to land what would be an attractive and sensual partner to anyone. Lithe but still somehow curvy in all the right places, fair skin, gorgeous blonde hair: had Matt always looked at Mello like so? 

This certainly felt much different than the chaste crush he held on the more rambunctious and headstrong boy that protected him from bullies and yet was equally content to boss him around. This certainly was not the feeling he had when he crossed an ocean to find Mello again fueled entirely on hatred and spite hoping to find a lost friend. He was so angry when we reunited with Mello. Angry that the blonde was willing to leave him behind and go on, what at the time, felt like a suicide mission. But that feeling had washed away so quickly when he saw Mello again; even if it was after being shot at several times and having the end of a pistol pressed to his throat as the blonde berated him. He was happy. He was happy to see Mello again and more so to see that red rosary peeking out from the stark black of his shirt: the symbol of his devotion and desire to protect this fiery blonde. No matter how angry Mello seemed, no matter how far he tried to put distance between them: he refused to let go of that rosary. He refused to let go of Matt. 

Now that he thought about it, no, this certainly felt different…


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mello is not very good at being undercover. Matt is trying to be helpful

“This is fucking boring.” Mello said, low and mostly to the microphone that rested in the wireless comm device hidden mostly by his hair; though it was partly pulled up into a small ponytail. There was no way he’d ever “fit in” in Japan but he could do his best to look more like a tourist rather than...whatever it was that Mello usually looked like. “The point of observation, Mello, is to be observant.” a very familiar voice chided him in his ear. Even though Matt was far out of sight, he was still very much able to comment on each of Mello’s actions. Matt had set himself up a little command center in his car: the front seat usually occupied by Mello now holding an array of machinery that kept the remote communication between them crisp and clear. Matt’s got too many screens in front of him considering he’s parked miles away but still with a clear line of sight (well, assisted with binoculars) on the blonde. “This is boring some some student. Why isn’t this kid raising hell?” Mello remarked, eyeing over a map that clearly did not hold his attention. “Because apparently this kid’s also a serial killer.” Matt replied quickly. “You’re not blending in.” he added. Mello pointed an obscene gesture in the red-head’s direction. 

Mello allowed himself to easy back onto the park bench: this is supposed to be recon and it was going horribly. This kid was boring, straight-laced and just didn’t have the vibe of someone who has committed mass murder on the scale that Kira was currently ranked at. It all just seemed so wrong: nothing in any profile should suggest this kind of behavior: which, supposedly, made him the perfect suspect. That’s what L thought, at least. Near seemed to agree; and the law of averages meant that Mello should also pay attention. Even if that meant a stakeout which put him in civilian clothes and alone, without his partner by his side and working on a substantiated hunch that Near agreed with.

Everything Mello could hear for his supposed recon mission just sounded like an excruciatingly mundane date. They weren’t even talking about anything interesting; just current events and idle chit-chat about passersby. It was intimate, though, in it’s own weird way if Mello had to give it thought. Not too dissimilar to the conversations he and Matt had when they weren’t “working”. Talking about meals, plans for the day, when they were going to bed. Was this a relationship? Was this domesticity? They clearly weren’t just work partners anymore. They did too much, felt too much, to simply be working together and those feelings were far from recent. They had always talked like this. Grand plans of the future, getting out of that damn house, being the best, being there for each other. Those conversations were old now; nearly as old as the rosary that kept Mello “safe” during his increasingly unsafe job. That necklace, tucked securely to his chest underneath the oversized sweatshirt he was in to “blend in” better stayed with him: close to his heart. The mere implication of such closeness, such intimacy would only mean…

“You’re blushing.” Matt’s voice was very clear in Mello’s ear. 

That only turned the blonde more red. “Oh, fuck off!” he tried to contain his outburst and not be made out. “What’s got you all hot and bothered? Spy a particularly intriguing tree?” Matt asked, keeping his dutiful watch on the blonde; though he’d be lying if he didn’t admit that seeing the errant blush on Mello’s cheeks brought a smile to his face. But two could play at this game. Mello was not going to play the maiden to Matt’s virgin knight, not so easily, at least. Mello teased blonde hair that had slipped out of place back with a little huff. “No, you dickhead. I was thinkin’ about tonight. We have condoms and lube, right? I was thinking about what it must be like to have you stuffed fully into me. All the down to the hilt, all of you just poundin’ into me. That’s why we bought them, right?” he purred, keeping his voice low. What his words did to poor Matt, however, was indeed quite profound. The red-head had a bright flush plastered across pale cheeks and the sound of blood rushing through his ears as Mello continued to paint lurid pictures in his mind. He certainly can’t be working very hard on his mission unless his mission was giving Matt a boner: if that was his primary objective, then mission accomplished. “Do ya’ ever think about it? What it must feel like? How hot, how tight, how wet...is that what you’re dreamin’ about when in you’re in the shower for so long?” how can Mello still seem so calm speaking such lurid little tales? Matt practically felt his grip entirely loosen on the binoculars that kept the teasing blonde within his line of sight. And there sat Mello, still and pretty pretty, jean-clad legs crossed one over the other; entirely unbothered and unaffected while Matt was doing all he can just to keep himself from panting. “Aren’t you supposed to be keeping an eye on your target…?” Matt asked, low and slow, trying to keep his tone even though the harshness in his voice was surely giving him away. “You honestly think I can’t multitask?” Mello had long since folded his prop map and merely leaned back onto the bench, letting his whole body relax into its structure. This is so reckless but also so damn perfect. In the ambient noise of the outdoors no one is going to notice a blonde tourist speaking utter filth into what may be a simple bluetooth device, yet alone in English: no one is likely to catch on to the particular torture Matt has found himself in. Matt’s hand nearly reaches for his zipper but that would mean that Mello wins and he certainly can’t let the blonde off so easily. “Nah, you’re good at it; I know ya’ are. And you’re right, I do think of that; how tight you’re gonna feel around me. Fillin’ you up to the brim and just feeling you shiver and moan. I think about those sorta things. Good to know that you’ve been thinkin’ of the same kinda thing...maybe we can finally put those condoms to use, then.” 

Mello’s posture shifts some, he does his best to look unaffected despite how tightly his left leg is crossed over his other and his fingers practically drilling holes into the bench. He’s tense and that blush, oh the flustered little plastering of scarlet that brushes delicately against his ears. The blonde’s breath is slow, trying to keep it steady. “You’re a fucking tease…” he growls, knowing very well that Matt is watching him and likely very much enjoying seeing Mello visibly hot and bothered. “Must be painful, havin’ to keep your legs crossed like that.” Matt replied with a small hum, content with the job he’s done so far in tormenting his partner. Mello turned a deeper shade of red, a little curse said just under his breath. He relented and let his legs uncross and part ever so slightly. “Now who's being a tease...you know I can’t see a thing with ‘em still pressed together like that.’ the red-head replied, taking charge as the blonde had encouraged him to do time and time again. Mello hissed, another irked little piece of profanity leaving his lips. He gave in, opening up his legs up further, showing off the clear mark of his arousal pressed against his pants. 

Work be damned; Matt quietly and quickly undoes his belt and prays that Mello’s little recon mission wraps up soon.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Good dogs should be rewarded, shouldn't they?

It started after dinner. A handsome dinner consisting mostly of instant noodles and junk food from the local convenience store. Mello had once more cozied himself up to Matt, both of them watching something entirely different on their respective phones. Both of them should be working. Both of them do, in theory, have something to do but it was much more satisfying and rewarding to be working so blissfully alone together. Mello fits so comfortably on Matt’s chest; the blonde wasn’t always so much smaller than Matt, that change was indeed rather recent. Increasingly, Mello didn’t mind the change in Matt’s body shape; coming to truly appreciate the broader chest and protective arms and shoulders that clung to him while they slept. 

Perhaps it was Mello that started this time, curling around to face Matt, his front pressed to the red head’s. It started with a kiss; slow and languid, the blonde’s limps tangling around Matt’s neck to ensure that there was no space at all left between them. A handheld game player hit the floor with reckless abandon. To his credit, Matt had gotten better at kissing, considering that Mello had long since claimed his first in a more heated moment that one is accustomed to for a first kiss. But to Mello’s credit, he was also a fantastic teacher, happy to guide the red head’s tongue and coax such loving little noises from his throat. More assured hands pressed firmly onto Mello’s waist and the blonde was happy to repay the action with a less than graceful rut of his hips against Matt’s. 

Oh the little noise that tore through Matt’s lips at the friction; it was enough to break the seal of their kiss and cause Mello to let out a little contented gasp. “Feels good, doesn’t it? See, told ya’ it’d pay off to be my loyal dog.” the blonde purred, peppering Matt’s neck with kisses. Matt felt himself coming apart at Mello’s ministrations; the friction, the body heat, the too intimate kisses. “Tch...knew it’d be worth my while...this is just a perk of the job.” the red head was coherent enough to reply back, earning a hungry little growl from the blonde. Mello quite likes the firm grip on his hips but he’s been the one leading his little virgin lamb this whole time. He is curious, morbidly so, about just what Matt could do if he was allowed to take power. 

“Alright, since this is just a ‘perk of the job’, then you tell me how I should pay out your little bonus, puppy.” Mello reared up, content to straddle Matt and see just what his companion would do if he was given the chance to take control. Matt pushed his goggles up, letting them carelessly fall to the ground as well and his eyes widened with something that looked like a mix of elation and trepidation. Matt’s breath hitched in his throat as his thoughts raced at just what sort of opportunity he was being given. The blonde seemed so sure of himself, straddling him like that; maybe it won’t be so bad to take the lead. Matt’s fingers returned to Mello’s frame, fingers fiddling idly with the zipper on his top. “A blowjob...I want a blowjob.” the red-head said, almost hoping that the blonde would get cold feet and ignore his lurid little request. Mello looked down at his devoted partner with a quizzical look before considering his options. His dog was asking for a blowjob; that shouldn’t be too difficult to give and besides, he quite liked the noises and small curses that left Matt when he was aroused. He could enjoy himself for what should in theory be a rather minimal amount of work. 

“‘Kay.” the blonde consented, the same upward turned quirk of his brow. “You’ve been a boy good, ‘suppose this is the least I can do.” Mello said, sounding quite proud of the reward he was to bestow upon his loyal companion and dog. Matt felt blood rush through his ears as Mello inched down his frame before stopping at his belt; ungloved hands making quick work of unfastening his belt and undoing his pants; slim fingers taking their sweet fucking time with his zipper. If Matt wasn’t hard before, he certainly was now seeing the blonde between his legs. He almost wished he had kept his goggles on, seeing such a thing in full color almost felt like sacrilege. Once Mello was finished freeing his partner’s erection from its confines he made sure to leave a lingering kiss on the tip of his cock, giving his rapt audience a teasing little wink. Mello gripped the base of Matt’s eager length and Matt felt himself practically melt at the attention. “You’re bigger than I thought.” Mello’s words were more than able to break Matt’s paper-thin concentration on literally anything but the stimulation between his legs, catching another glimpse of the blonde’s triumphant look before he dove back in, taking in more of the sensitive head of his length. 

Oh that warmth; that wet, warm vice had Matt groaning even under the most minimal of attention. Mello took his time, dammit, he took his time; swallowing down inch after inch at a leisurely pace: for a man who had no trouble sidling up to the mafia to get his way faster than just working with Near, he certainly was savoring watching Matt fall apart at his lavishing. Owlish eyes never leaving the red head and studying each and every single moan and stifled little grunt, ever so slightly tear-stained from the intrusion to the back of his throat. Matt bucked up into the tantalizing heat of Mello’s mouth, only stopping with bare fingers pressed firmly into his hips. “S-sorry…” Matt managed, though barely before another heated sigh left him, feeling the suction created by Mello’s now hollowed out cheeks. Matt needed something, anything to ground him, this may have been his first time experiencing such an intimate act but he wanted this to be as pleasurable as possible for Mello as well. Unsure fingers carded through blonde locks; that seemed to break some of Mello’s concentration but he simply let out a small little noise that Matt hoped was alright to take as approval or consent. Though he barely had to hold pressure to Mello’s scalp to keep him in place, the blonde was more determined than ever to fully see his companion unravel; to melt entirely on his palette like fine imported chocolate. 

Mello got his wish, feeling that first spurt of warm fluid seep down his throat and coat his throat. While it may have felt gradual and building for the blonde, for Matt this orgasm felt like it had been ripped out of his body, left babbling and repeating the blonde’s name as his body trembled. He had cum before, of course he had, plenty of times by his own hand a few times with Mello’s assistance but nothing like this; nothing like feeling such tight warmth around his cock. Mello swallowed his load down, begrudgingly for the most part, but the continued attention had Matt’s grip tightening on the back of Mello’s head. “H-hey...slow down...you don’t have to…-” the semi-exhausted redhead tried to coax the determined Mello from his length. Mello relented, content with the job he had done, rising up only so to open his mouth and show off his neat work to the flustered not-so virgin beneath him. Matt felt any of the blood left in him rush up to his face, cheeks immediately turning red. Matt brought his previously occupied hand to his face, a little grimace settled within his brow at the display. “You didn’t have to.” he said, scarcely able to finish the thought of just what Mello had done to him and for him. Mello simply pressed up to his partner, still looking as pleased with himself as ever. “I wanted to.” he said, drawing little nonsense patterns in Matt’s shirt. “Like I said...you’ve been a good boy, you deserved a treat.” 

Matt could feel that the blonde was still clearly aroused; he usually was when they fooled around but he always abstained in hopes not to overwhelm his semi-virginal partner. Despite his usually selfish exterior, Mello was very giving, at least when it came to sex. Matt did his best to relax, at least the best he could considering that he had just cum the hardest he ever had and he still had an attractive blonde pressed to him like a contented and purring, pampered housecat. 

“Then let me do something else I want...and take care of you, too.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fight? Is this what it means to fight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be perfectly honest, I am so humbled and in love with the views and kudos I've been receiving. I've been writing fanfic since...well, more years than I care to recall and it's great to be back to an artform that I know and love so much. As always, your kudos, comments and more are much appreciated.

It was a glass this time. The force of impact and the sound of shattering clanging against the wall. “You have got to be fucking shitting me!” Mello hollered, being very sure that his words were heard before hanging up his cellphone and throwing it, like the now ruined glass, against the wall. Luckily, the phone was not as fragile. That was enough to get Matt’s attention, finally pulling his headphones off and his attention away from the screens he had set up to run some computer algorithm that Mello openly admitted that he did not understand. Mello was seething, blonde locks made a mess in his fit of rage. 

Using the sofa as a barrier, Matt peaked his head over the barricade to check in on his partner. All it took was one look at the glass carnage to realize what was going on. “Near again?” Matt grimaced, fixing his gaze on his less than pleased blonde. “Fuck you.” Mello hissed but let his previously hunched posture relax some; he thread his fingers through his hair, hoping to right the mess. “What did he want this time?” Matt asked, knees pressed to the couch cushions, resting against the back of the sofa. “He said that our little recon mission was an absolute waste of time and that nothing valuable was gained.” the blonde huffed. “At least that’s all he heard…” Matt started before he had to dodge a glass careening towards him only to have it shatter on the wall behind him. Matt turned back around to see Mello flushed for more than just one reason now. “That was entirely your fault!” the blonde replied. “It isn’t my fault that your pathetic control over your raging hormones could have ruined a perfectly executed mission.” he said with a huff, doing his best to cool the ruby tinted flush to his cheeks that all ran orange behind Matt’s lenses. “Ya’ know, I distinctly remember you moanin’, too.” the red head shot back, ducking just before another glass could make contact with his face: at least it was only glass this time and not bullets; Mello’s gun was being cleaned today. “If we have to replace those glasses already, I swear I’m takin’ that money right out of your account!” Matt tried to protest before the last glass in the set was shattered but this time being dropped from Mello’s standing height and onto the ground, done entirely out of spite. 

Matt’s little threat seemed to lose all of its bravado when he heard Mello’s boot crunch over the spent glass as he made his way over to the couch that was meant to be protecting him from the blonde’s rage. Mello always had a dangerous aura around him, not at all cooled by the religious icon around his neck or his slight figure and good looks. “You will?” Mello raised his brow to his partner in rapt questioning. “This whole thing isn’t about us playing fucking house. This is about the investigation. And if you aren’t going to take this seriously, then maybe I need to find a new partner.” Mello hissed as Matt did his best to process the blonde’s cruel words as if they were said to him in a language he didn’t understand. Mello was driven, always had been, and Matt knew better than anyone just how much this mission meant to his childhood friend: but for all that they had been through together Mello had never once threatened him like so. Matt felt his heart sink into his stomach; typically this was a side of Mello he got to see only by virtue of being by the blonde’s side, not being on the receiving end of such callous treatment. Matt wanted to lash out with anger, he wanted to yell and meet Mello’s coldness with cruelty of his own. But when he looked up at the blonde he didn’t see the same icy blonde he knew others saw; he saw a frustrated, exhausted and very determined man who just wanted to win at all costs. 

If Matt looked close enough he could see that Mello was trembling, likely the spent and wasted adrenaline leaving his body now physically exhausted melted together with nights spent up late trying to work alone in the dark to not disturb him. Matt simply frowned and reached out for Mello’s hand; a hand that he gave with little resistance. “You’re good at sayin’ what you need to get a rise outta folks. It almost worked this time.” he said, drawing little shapes into Mello’s exposed palm before taking a more firm hold of his hand. “Almost?” the blonde mimicked, finally giving up the ghost and letting himself find some comfort in his still resolute partner. 

“What was my tell?” he finished, letting his eyes meet his partner’s. “You know good and damn well I don’t have the reflexes to miss those glasses if you were really tryin’. I’d be knocked out and bloody on the floor. You were lobbin’ softballs at me; a pretty obvious tell.” Matt smiled, bringing the blonde’s hand closer to his face, leaving a soft kiss on the place he had just previously drawn those nonsense little shapes that brought all of Mello’s attention down to one central pulse point. “We’ll get him, Mello...don’t worry.” Matt did his best to reassure the blonde, hoping to calm even a bit of the fury he knew still bubbled beneath the surface of Mello’s at times cool exterior. For all of his earlier protesting and anger, Mello is practically pliant now at Matt’s touch. He didn’t know where this more confident side to his usually nerdy and reserved partner came from: perhaps his loyal dog had learned a few new tricks after all. 

Mello let out a more relaxed sigh, leaning in further to kiss Matt; likely because he is still a little too proud to just openly thank him for being so damn accommodating of his little emotional outburst. “If you take money out of my account for those glasses, I won’t miss with the next thing I throw at you. We can get new ones while we’re out shopping next.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shared body heat, sleepy nights and long-held promises kept.

_Isn’t it obvious? I want to be the best. I want to beat Near. I want to be the next L and nothing is standing in my way._

_If you mess with Matt, you’ll have to deal with me and that’s not something you should take likely._

_You can’t keep being weak like this! They’ll keep picking on you unless you stand up for yourself._

_If you won’t stand up for yourself, I guess, I will._

Mello’s a sound sleeper. That was something Matt wasn’t expecting to continue on into their adulthood. It had been so when they were children, with the redhead often waking the blonde in the middle of the night seeking comfort from nightmares and bumps in the night. Mello took each one with the same grumpy resolution that he did now; complaining but yielding to Matt’s request for repose. Which is why it was so paradoxical to think that it was Mello who seemed desperate for comfort by clinging to Matt in his sleep. Delicate fingers clung tightly to his and Mello’s infectious body heat was nearly too much for Matt to stand; he was already shirtless and skin to skin with his blonde partner and yet the warmth that invaded his side and filled his chest from the closeness and weight of another person so close to him was nearly suffocating in the best possible way.

This is so different than the times Matt had climbed into Mello’s bunk seeking the blonde’s touch and his strength and he now comes to relish in these little sleepy moments where Mello continues to dream on blissfully of grand things and supremacy while his doting partner is content to just watch him sleep and hopes eventually he’ll join the blonde in a more relaxed state. This time, Matt’s usually quiet vigil over the blonde is interrupted by a soft sigh, more like a little grunt and a brief shift in Mello’s body against his. “The fuck are you doing…?” Mello’s still sleepy voice was hoarse and just above a whisper then. “Nothin’. Just keeping an eye on you.” Matt replied, hushed hoping that this was just a ghost and that he truly hadn’t woken the blonde from his much-needed slumber. “Weird fucker. Watching me sleep.” Mello grumbled, content to invade even more of Matt’s space and press further into him and monopolize more of the shared duvet. “You did the same thing for years.” Matt let out a tiny laugh, letting his arms wrap around Mello; a slight revenge if he was meant to endure the weight of the blonde. “You just thought I didn’t notice. But I knew. You always made sure I was asleep first before you dozed off.”

That was enough to get Mello to roll back over and meet the red head’s eyes. “You weren’t supposed to know that.” he muttered, as if he had been caught in a far more recent lie. “I won’t tell. It’ll be our little secret.” Matt did his best to reassure Mello who seemed to be caught a little off guard by his little show of devotion being less of a secret than he previously assumed for decades.

“Secret, huh? I was just doing you a favor...you were such a weak kid, always needin’ to hold onto to me.” Mello tried his best to salvage his remaining bravado despite his current position of being very much the one snuggled into Matt’s chest. “Yeah and you always let me. You were always sticking up for me and letting me climb into bed with you when I couldn’t sleep.” the red head said, tracing the pattern of Mello’s shoulders with his index finger, enjoying the warmth and softness underneath his calloused fingers. For Mello’s part, he had long since given up the ghost. He was tired and Matt’s touch was a comfort. He simply exhaled and tucked under his partner’s chin, allowing his head to rest on his chest. “Someone had to.” Mello huffed, doing his best to pretend that he wasn’t very much enjoying this closeness; that he had always enjoyed this closeness. “Never got to properly thank you for it.” Matt said, letting the pattern he traced on his partner’s back became a little less coherent and a bit more random. “You do enough work...you want more?” Mello asked, low and practically spoken into Matt’s chest. Matt smiled, knowing if he laughed he’d disturb his sleepy blonde. “Nah, you work me enough. Keeping you safe and doing as you say is more than a fulltime job.” The reply was honest but he had long since pledged his loyalty to Mello and whatever it was that Mello had asked of him. “Then you can repay me by shutting up and letting me sleep.” Mello grumbled and that succeeded in coaxing a little laugh out of Matt. “And if you turn your damn phone on or another handheld, I’m breaking them under my heel.” he closed his little admission with a threat, as Mello was so apt to do.

Matt moved some of Mello’s hair from his face and placed a little kiss on his forehead. “I won’t. I promise.” he whispered. “Get some rest.I’ll see you in the morning, ‘kay?” he asked but based on the soft hum of Mello’s breath, it was clear that his blonde had already given into how tired his body was; sweetly, softly, innocently, his blonde laid there with his head on his chest;  
whisked away to sleep by the sound of his voice and heartbeat. It was almost too kind for someone like Mello who in the light of day was gruff and crass and dripped in innuendo and euphemism; but in quieter moments, more vulnerable moments he was almost cute. All of that sound and fury that he was known for in the light, signified nothing in the dark while he was pressed up against his partner, his slowed breath a sweet little melody, his even, steady heartbeat a darling little song.

It wasn’t much longer until Matt joined him in sleep, taking solace and refuge in the blonde’s warmth.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Dog's place is at the foot of his Master, isn't it?

Kneeling. Kneeling before his Master. That is, in fact, where a loyal dog should be. The view however, with Mello seated on the edge of their shared bed and his legs spread and hiked up over Matt’s shoulders; lower half exposed and bare and his master flushed and hard is not a bad view for the dog. This position still kept Mello at nearly eye level to Matt and the redhead drank in every moment of the blush that graced Mello’s cheeks. Most of their time spent entwined together was Mello lavishing attention upon his devoted dog but there is only so much pampering even a lap dog can take before having to prove his worth in salt and effort. “You look so cute like this…” the redhead teased his blonde partner only to earn a little hiss from Mello. “S-shut up and get on with whatever you’re planning.” his tone was impatient mostly, not quite as reluctant as the little frown on his face would portray. Matt wasn’t lying. Mello was cute like this. That blush on his cheeks highlighted just how fair he was, those intense eyes of his lidded halfway between curiosity and pleasure and plush lips pinched between his teeth to quell little noises from escaping in a futile attempt to deny Matt the pleasure of hearing Mello moan. Had Mello always been so alluring? The short answer was yes, Mello had always been this attractive; what had changed was the way that Matt looked at him. At first, that feeling of protectiveness and devotion felt platonic: repaying a long held favor. He ignored how others looked at Mello; the obvious lust, the clear innuendo, the flirting made to help sweeten bitter deals. He assumed for years that it was just Mello playing the game; even with mafia bosses and special operatives would occasionally touch his hand for too long or let Mello’s slender legs grace their laps or even when the heel of his boot graced a man between his legs. It wasn’t until Mello tried to leave him, tried to abandon his dog that Matt came to realize that maybe, just maybe, that look that others gave Mello was for a reason and jealousy was the driving factor that coaxed Matt into crossing a damn ocean to find the blonde, his blonde. It was true; Mello had always been so alluring because no matter how many men or women laid at his feet, he always had his eyes on Matt. 

Matt fished into his back pocket some and found what he was searching for: he had purchased the bottle of lubricant during one of their earlier somewhat awkward shopping trips where between the two of them several boxes of condoms in varying sizes as well as all manners of lubricants, massage oils and lotions were purchased: as if the obviously foreign “couple” needed any more reasons to stand out. 

While Matt assumed that this part of Mello, the inviting hole that lay unobscured before him, was a little less than sacred in comparison to him; he still wanted to explore Mello and spoil him. The pink little ring of muscle there looked so splendid and as Matt did his best to steady his breath and struggle to uncap the bottle he met Mello’s gaze once more just to ensure that he still had the blonde’s consent to press forward. “Keep going.” Mello ordered, though he was far from the one with the power in this situation and with his legs wrapped around his partner’s shoulders and his ankles crossed neatly and pressed into his back. Matt nodded, happy to receive his partner’s permission and he carefully let one slicked up finger idly trace around that sweet little rim; oh the little sigh he got from the blonde at such light teasing had a flush rising to his cheeks as well. Pushing in wasn’t difficult, in fact Mello’s warmth swallowed him up readily; tight muscle clinging to the intrusion of a single digit. For his minimal effort, Matt is rewarded with the ever so softest of little moans from Mello. Inside of his partner, his lover, is warm and wet and as he pushes in further, watching the greedy little hole in front of him willingly eat up his finger he earns so many more soft pants and little whines from Mello. The blonde who normally played it so cool even while he was in the middle of pleasuring the redhead was now starting to unravel from the most minimal of attention. 

“You’re tight.” Matt said, as if he needed Mello or anyone to confirm such a thing. His partner merely groaned as another finger quickly worked its way in; giving a bit of stretch to that more than welcoming heat and now laxing muscle that accepted Matt’s fingers with such vigor. Mello moaned sweetly then; looks like Matt found his sweet spot rather quickly in his exploration of his partner. The little stretch hardly seemed to affect the blonde despite the tears that had collected in the corners of his eyes and the dripping wet erection that bobbed between the two of them. “Feeling good?” Matt asked, his pace picking up some. Mello nodded, bringing a fist to his mouth as if that would truly keep him quiet. “Looks like you feel good.” the redhead persisted, leaning in a little further to Mello’s face. God, he was gorgeous like this and Matt found himself getting a little ahead of himself with his pace when Mello began to tremble and mewl underneath him, weak little ruts grind the blonde further down the redhead’s fingers until both of his knuckles are embraced by that wet, sticky warmth. Will it feel this good, this tight, this warm when he finally gets to go all the way with Mello; when the blonde finally gets his wish and rids him of his virginity. 

“C-close...please, hurry up.” Mello moaned oh so sweetly. Matt let out a little grunt in reply; his blonde was so wonderfully lewd and it left him throbbing as his ignored erection tented his pants as his entire focus was on watching Mello fall apart. “I haven’t even touched your cock. You can really cum just like this?” Matt asked, more than happy to give into the blonde’s selfish little desire and give him the quicken pace that he demanded. Matt felt Mello’s dig into his back some, likely irked by the comment when he was desperately chasing his release. “S-shut up! Just finish what you started!” Mello barked, that ruby flush on his cheeks had long since cemented itself in place. Mello’s moans were such a beautiful symphony, each little hungry whine that Matt gained by picking up or slowing down the pace of his fingers; the wet, filthy noises that came from his blonde’s now stretched and accommodating hole and that blush, oh that blush: what more motivation would a man need to continue on to pleasure his partner?

As much as Matt could normally get off on just Mello’s moans, this time his partner was looking particularly inviting as he was so clearly close to his orgasm. He leaned in and captured Mello’s lips; far from the few chaste and kind times they had more recently shared. This kiss was hungry and as soon as Matt could let his tongue explore Mello’s mouth, he let smooth muscle glide over the other’s tongue; savoring the flavor of the inside of his lover’s mouth with gusto. He had learned quickly considering that he had only been relieved of his first kiss not too long ago and by the same mouthy blonde he had underneath him now, grinding into the palm of his hand and seeking release. 

Mello got his wish and his much desired orgasm, coming entirely undone and spilling himself onto his stomach without any direct stimulation to his cock. Matt hardly seems to mind letting go of Mello’s lips to hear the blonde let out a heated little curse at the intensity of his release, enjoying the way he felt the blonde shiver around his fingers and in his arms. He hadn’t seen Mello like this before; so pliant and calm, so quiet. A man could grow spoiled seeing his lover in such a state. Mello pants softly, catching his breath and coming down from his high. “Fucking virgin…” the blonde hissed, feeling Matt finally pull out from his thoroughly teased entrance. “You sure did take your time.” he said, finally letting unshed tears roll down still reddened cheeks. “Sorry, first time doin’ something like this. I’d ask if it was good but...considering the mess you made, I think I have my answer…” Matt was content to stay close to Mello’s kiss-swollen lips and hope for a peaceful moment in his lover’s refractory period. Mello, however, had different plans; he quickly untangled himself from his partner with something that could only be described as less than graceful and placed his foot directly into the center of Matt’s chest with enough force to bring his dog right back down to his proper place; not just kneeling but beneath his master. “Don’t get cocky. You just jammed your fingers in with enough brute force to get me off. Your technique’s shit.” Mello replied, that familiar spoiled furrow in his brow in its rightful place. With that, he got up with only the slightest of wobbles and a far less than dignified little waddle to the bathroom going on about how he “deserves” a hot bath and yet another imported chocolate bar for his trouble even though it was just him who got off, not Matt. Matt could only sigh, laying on his back with a neglected and throbbing erection tending his pants and just watching him as he went along; content to have let his master enjoy himself; even if it was just a little bit, according to the clearly spent blonde.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just who is meant to protect who?

“There’s no way in hell that one guy with a chainsaw can do that much damage on the body. Chainsaws are heavy and he’ll get tired before he’s done cutting her up. Saw fatigue is a real thing, ya’ know. .” 

“That’s not the point...wait, this isn’t scary to you?”

“Is it supposed to be scary?” 

That was the point, the movie was meant to be scary; an excuse for Matt and Mello to relax after a somewhat difficult work day of mostly Mello berating Near and Matt playing video games as one of his many programs kept an eye on the entire country.

The movie did succeed in getting Mello to cozy up onto Matt’s lap and watch TV together in a shockingly domestic and intimate scene. It mostly worked, Mello was cozied up in Matt’s embrace, leaning his head on his shoulder on the sofa. It was like all the first dates they could never have due to their shared childhood and the line of work they slotted into. Matt keeps his arm protectively wrapped around Mello’s middle, as if the blonde would or could escape. Mello seems mostly perplexed by the movie. In their childhood, they weren’t given many opportunities to be normal children: likely why Matt was still, to this day, obsessed with the video games and media he in theory should have left behind in his adolescence. Mello, however, being so close to being an heir to the title of L didn’t get many chances to even rebel against the system and indulge in such things. His brain is still too analytical and cynical to do something as mundane as enjoy a slasher flick. 

“See, that’s entirely unrealistic. That’s not how blood splatters work. The angle is completely wrong!” the blonde piped up, tilting his head up to look at Matt who was trying to stifle laughter from this nearly innocent side of his partner. The blonde was trying to solve this fictional murder and was upset that the evidence was not going to line up. “Yeah? You think you’d be able to solve the case still?” Matt chided, carding his fingers through blonde locks. “Of course I can.” Mello was quick to respond, turning his attention back to the film. “And you think you’d outrun the killer?” Matt added, leaning further into the couch to adjust to Mello’s weight pressing more into him. “Hard to run when the fucker’s had his kneecaps blown out by a bullet.” Mello replied, giving the redhead another glance up before an act of violence on the screen once more caught his attention. “Mello, you can’t shoot the killer; where’s the sport in that?” Matt laughed a little at his partner’s resolve to end this fictional narrative before it could even get interesting. “If I’m trying to stay alive, what’s the need for sport?” Mello replied back. “Okay okay, but what if you had to save someone? What if you had to save me?” Matt was curious now having presented Mello with an interesting little trolley problem. That brought Mello’s attention entirely away from the movie and the nearly pornographic violence that was on the screen. Mello rolled over on top of Matt, giving very little concern about the shift in weight. “Aren’t you supposed to be the one protecting me, Matt? You’re my dog, aren’t you supposed to be keeping your master safe? You’re not allowed to die, not unless it’s done to save my life.” Mello said, reaching for Matt’s lenses, pushing them up as the redhead let out a little groan as his eyes had to adjust to unfiltered and undiffused light again. “I know, I know; I’m not talkin’ about that. But what if? Just humor me.” Matt insisted, letting his hands rest on the small of Mello’s back. “Don’t be an idiot. ‘Course I would. I’ve been bailing you out for years and there’s no reason for me to stop now.” the blonde replied, not seeming to be bothered by the close contact with his partner. There was a cute little furrow to Mello’s brow then as he explained what Matt clearly knew, or at least, had hoped to be true: that Mello would be true to his word and his bond and continue to protect his loyal dog in exchange for the decades of dutiful service.

There was another scream from another nameless female victim in the movie but Mello’s attention seemed pretty taken up by the line of questioning that was coming from his dog that held him so close to his chest. “Why?” the blonde started “Why did you ask if I’d save you?” he finished, meeting the redhead’s gaze with owlish curiosity. “S’nothin’. Just curious.” Matt tried to push the question off as innocent, something that’d naturally come up early in the relationship as less a test and more a hope for confirmation: an affirmation that they were indeed on the same page. That would work on anyone but Mello, who was not only exceptional at reading people; he was exceptional at reading Matt. “You’re lying.” the blonde spoke flatly, his gaze sharpening some and Matt tensed up ever so slightly at the blonde’s more stern gaze. Mello simply worked his way up the redhead’s torso until they were face to face, caring little for the blonde locks that cascaded past his shoulders and started to brush at Matt’s cheeks. “You’re my only dog, the most loyal, the one who has been by my side all of these years. You gave me your life when you gave me this rosary; and I wear it every day to show you and remind you that I took you up on your offer and willingness to throw your life away and use it to protect me and further my dream. The least I could do is protect my dog if he were to get in trouble.” Mello said, bringing his lips just to Matt’s. Matt feels blood rush to his cheeks. Mello’s so close, his front is so warm, those words are so heavy and he knows the blonde means it; Mello’s always meant it. That red rosary that hangs low on his pretty little neck has been there for so many years; less an accessory and more a contract between a Master and his Dog but also a very clear sign that this man; this mostly unattainable blonde, is indeed spoken for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading. As always; your comments, kudos and more mean the world to me.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is new: fear is new.

“Hurry up. I will leave you here if you keep wastin’ time.” Mello said with an impatient little tap to his boot heel. It was supposed to be a relatively quick trip to the convenience store for instant curry and lube, which of course also meant buying chocolate for Mello and Matt mulling over whether or not he needed to play yet another capsule game. “But there’s a new limited edition…” Matt started before his attention turned back to the blonde who looked more than ready to be out of the public eye considering that he’s supposed to be working fairly clandestinely on a high-profile murder case. Though Mello did little else to hide his appearance, save for the occasional oversized hoodie, he wasn’t always super eager to be out, especially with Matt. Not because he did not enjoy the redhead’s company (though he would struggle to answer such a question directly) but because he was worried. One of the main commandments of their education was to shun close connection with others; they would only slow you down and give enemies something that can be used against you. Though contacts had known of his relationship to Matt before Mello desperately tried to cut ties with his partner, it was at the time a platonic relationship; it would indeed be unfortunate to lose him in the line of duty but not a loss that would potentially ruin him. The thought now of losing Matt; of not waking up next to the redhead, of not having his loyal dog by his side twisted his stomach into anxious knots. 

“Fine. But the price is gonna triple if I have to hunt for that super rare online.” Matt huffed and that brought Mello out of his little daze that consisted mostly of envisioning the redhead in various dangerous situations. “Somethin’ wrong?” Matt teased out, running his hand through Mello’s blonde locks, hoping to fix some of the stray strands that had gone awry in his worry. Mello simply huffed and quickly pulled away from the redhead’s touch. “Nothing’s wrong.” Mello replied but on Matt’s ear he wasn’t quite sure what the blonde’s cadence was meant to mean. Was something actual wrong? Was he wrong? “Can we just get out of here…?” Mello added, meeting his partner’s gaze, a little frown on his face. What was on his mind? “Yeah…’course.” Matt added, taking their shopping from Mello’s hands and hoping that him being supportive would put his blonde at ease. It seemed like that was not the case and instead of waiting with Matt to legally procure these items, Mello just waited outside for his partner. As if it wasn’t awkward enough to purchase anything related to their sex life but to have to do so alone made the sting all the more present and noticeable. After paying in cash and receiving their items that shouldn’t be such a shock considering they were a couple (they were a couple, right?) Matt made his way to greet his partner who had leaned against the wall of the convenience store and was typing away on his phone. “Remember when you said nothing was wrong?” Matt started, finally returning to his partner’s side, handing over the bag of their goods to the blonde. “I’m startin’ to think you’re lyin’.” Mello took the bag and started in the direction of home. Their home. That was the only word for it. But he was tugged to a halt by Matt’s hand. Mello gives in, letting his fingers interlace with the bigger hand that is holding him still. The blonde doesn’t turn to face Matt immediately but he does sigh and figure that he does owe his partner an explanation. 

“I’ve never worried about you before.” he starts and now he has Matt’s full attention despite the fact that he had been studying Mello’s body language behind orange lenses for a while now. “Sure, we’ve been in danger before but I’ve never worried about you before. What if something actually happens to you...if someone gets you…?” Mello was rarely one to show emotion that wasn’t anger or arousal, almost never cried and was far from sentimental save for the red rosary he dutifully wore. Mello also rarely cracked under the immense weight of the job but now with a partner, someone he cared about, a home, something that almost felt nice; there was more risk than ever to losing it. Matt could feel that Mello was trembling and it wasn’t the chill of the night time air that was the likely culprit. He pulled the blonde in close though he didn’t bother to turn him right to face him. He knew Mello was probably a mess of racing thoughts and probably didn’t have the heart to look him straight in the eye. “I’m not going to get hurt. You’re not going to lose me. We’re gonna catch the bad guys like we always do and everything’s gonna be fine.” Matt was doing his best to reassure Mello, which was a role that still felt out of place for him. It had always been the blonde giving him strength but now, it seemed like more than ever his blonde needed someone to lean on despite years of training that encouraged the very opposite. He held Mello there until he felt the telltale tremble leave his partner and waited for the slow exhale that usually followed one of Mello’s little emotional outbursts. It didn’t matter that they were still very much in public despite the cover of darkness save for the lights of the convenience store they just left. Matt simply nestled into his blonde’s locks, nosing into Mello’s neck enjoying the steadiness now of his pulse. “Better?” he muttered there and smiled into the nape of Mello’s neck when he gave a little grunt as an affirmation. 

“Let’s go home. You still have’ta make dinner.” Matt said, leaving a small kiss on Mello’s neck before feeling his blonde’s free hand come in contact with his face and pushing him away. It seemed that Mello had finally come back to his senses if the litany of curses wasn’t indication enough. “Get off of me, you clingy prick! People can see us!” Mello said, freeing himself from Matt’s grip but not the hold the redhead had on his hand. “I’ve been ready to get out of here. You’re the one who wanted to have this little moment in public.” he said with a huff but abided by Matt’s instruction and began tugging his partner in the direction of home by the hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading. As always, your feedback means the world to me!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A business trip keeps Mello away. something Matt should be used to but just can't quite adjust to now. What has changed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy early Thanksgiving. I decided to update y'all early as a little gift to show you all how thankful and grateful I am to you readers.

Business. It was always business that pulled Mello away from Matt. This time it was a trip to the States to meet with the handler that his blonde was manipulating- working with on the Kira Investigation. This left Matt in a position he had been in many times before but never under such circumstances: he was home alone but this time he wasn’t just without his colleague but his partner and lover. That kind of loneliness was unique; waking up in an empty bed, actually having to cook (order in) for himself and nights alone with the technology that had comforted him in lieu of human interaction for the better part of his life. It was quiet while he was home alone, no need to keep the lights on for it was only Mello who needed light to read and see; Matt had long since gotten used to using screens as a light source. No need to sleep, the bed felt wrong and too big now. He should just get to work; there was work to do. 

It had already been day three or four (truthfully, Matt had lost count) since Mello left and though he did get confirmation when Mello touched down; he hadn’t heard from his blonde in the subsequent days since the last message that plane did in fact touch the ground safely. He knew Mello would be busy; that was to be expected. Mello was usually busy but that never meant that he was too busy for Matt. Despite the investigation, Mello was generous with his time that he gave to the redhead, often staying up late just to ensure they could spend their days together. 

At least Matt could smoke freely now. It was a habit Mello found distasteful and he refused to kiss the red-head if his breath smelled of cigarette smoke. Bachelor life shouldn’t be so sad; an already messy kitchen, the lingering stale smell of smoke and the quiet darkness of a partner overseas. Mello would come back; he always came back, even before they were lovers if that was what Matt could call them now. At least his games never left him and the noise they generated was a much welcomed relief from the tyranny of a near-silent home. That was until his phone rang: it was rarely on any mode that wasn’t vibrate but this time the little jingle pulled his attention away from the screens that had occupied his attention in place of his lover. Matt briefly scrambled for his phone, pulling his headphones away and finally answering: there was a very finite amount of people who had access to this phone line and it was almost exclusively used by Mello and like the eager dog he was, he was oh so looking forward to and indeed hoping that it was his blonde on the other side of the line. 

“Hello?” Matt started and much to his relief it was indeed Mello. “What am I doing?” he repeated the blonde’s question. “Nothin’...why?” he pushed back mostly because he was a little ashamed to have literally been doing nothing. “How’s Langley? Still boring?” he pressed and he was happy to get a little laugh from Mello. “No, no new hits. Nothin’ major, at least. Your kid’s been a little hard to track. Not really sure if it relates.” he adds when Mello naturally asks about the investigation. “Yeah, I have the outlier data safe somewhere; don’t worry.” Matt went to light up another cigarette as quietly as possible with his phone still tucked between his ear and shoulder. Mello was less than pleased to hear the little click of his lighter and he cursed under his breath at the blonde’s excellent hearing. “I’ll air the place out before you get back, promise.” He assured Mello who was starting to lecture him on his smoking.

“You by yourself?” the red-head asked, mostly out of curiosity. He knew that occasionally Mello got to stay in some lavish hotels at the expense of the several organizations he worked with. His suspicion was confirmed with a small hum from Mello; the blonde was alone and in a rather nice hotel room. As Matt’s day was winding down, Mello’s day was just beginning: the true joy of maintaining a relationship with a partner overseas and under the tyranny of time zones. 

“I miss you.” Matt said, taking the opportunity to be open with Mello and indulge in the little bit of want he had as soon as Mello had decided to ring him up. He could almost hear Mello’s blush but instead he mostly just heard a scoff from his partner. “No, I mean it...it’s different without you here.” Matt pressed his lover further and he was surprised to get an honest admission out of his partner. Apparently, the feeling was fairly mutual. Apparently Mello also missed him too, an admission he’d hold close to his chest for the remainder of his days. Matt leaned up against the couch, still sitting on the floor as he listened on about Mello’s day and his work. Mello talked about the States and how good but yet questionable the food is. And all the while Matt was content to listen to him. He had missed Mello’s voice, hearing the blonde even if the chatter was mundane was a comfort that now was absent in his life after having grown so used to it. 

The distance between them also created another problem that was unique to Matt now that he had taken Mello as a lover. He was unbearably horny without Mello around. Not to say that they were constantly wrapped up in each other; hell, they hadn’t even gone ‘all the way’ yet, though there were very few parts of Mello now that he would consider unclaimed or unexplored. It was more the sort of arousal that came with longing and boredom. An emptiness that is only present at the awareness of an absent partner. Perhaps if Matt could stay quiet, he could quell his desires for both intimacy and closeness. He worked his hand into his boxers (he had shunned proper pants the moment Mello left) and to his surprise he was already half-hard by the time he took his length into his hand; the little bit of pressure there earning a little hiss from him: one he certainly hoped Mello wouldn’t hear. A few strokes later and Matt was struggling to steady his breath as Mello continued to debrief him on the information he received while in the States. 

“What am I doing…?” Matt repeated the question hurled at him by his blonde. He cursed a little to himself and realized then that he was indeed caught. “Sorry….’missed you,‘kay? Missed all of you.” he responded, his hand stilling but not exactly stopping. “Do you want me to stop…?” Matt asked, a hint of longing and mischief in his voice. His blonde was alone, it was early in the morning; worst possible case was the line being tapped and Mello would never allow something like that to happen. Matt felt heat rise to his cheeks when he was given a small “no” from his partner and he was more than happy to allow his hand to return to stroking his aching erection. He found himself eagerly bucking up into his own hand and Mello only chuckled on the choked noise that left his throat. “F-fuck...hey, this doin’ nothing for you?” he inquired, a bit; well, frankly, concerned by Mello’s unaffected timbre. Here he was spilling his guts (more like spilling pre-cum) for his blonde only to be met with curt little orders of “faster” and “keep going”. 

That was an unexpected answer. Matt was half expecting to have his suspicion confirmed; his typically in control blonde was just fine with letting his partner jerk off to his voice and his voice alone. However, what he was actually met with was the admission that the absence hadn’t just affected him and that his blonde, his lover was also; to be polite, suffering in their separation. 

“Touch yourself…? For me…?” Matt managed, his pace quickening around his leaking cock. He let out a little groan into the phone’s receiver. “I want you to feel good, too…” he urged his partner on with a husky little whisper and felt his heartbeat leap when he heard the sound of Mello’s zipper being pulled down. “You’re alone; don’t be so quiet.” Matt chided his partner on, encouraged by the little moans he could coax out of Mello. “You sound so hot...so fuckin’ hot...god, I can’t wait to fuck you; will you let me…? Will you let me finally fuck you perfect ass?” Matt was mostly just speaking anything that came to his mind as his grip continued to tighten on his length; fuck, he was so close but he wanted to hear Mello come undone. His question was a perplexing one: it wasn’t Mello that had kept him from finally sinking his cock into that impossibly tight little hole; it had been his own insecurities, insecurities that he lost with his dick in his hand and jerking off to his partner’s salacious moans. 

A mess. That was all that Matt could think of looking down at his cum-splattered hand while a heavy heave settled in his chest. He came. He came hard just listening to his lover on the phone; if Mello’s cute little whine was any indication of his state then his partner was in a similar position. The red-head did his best to slow his breath down and form a sentence now that blood flow had a chance to return to his brain.

“Come home soon...and...while I’m thinkin’ about it…” Matt started, his teeth dug into his lower lip some as he threw caution to the wind and simply said what was on his mind. 

“I love you.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A confession, that's what it was; just how is Mello supposed to deal with such an intimate confession?

Being in the States did bring one comfort to Mello, he didn’t stand out as much. Not to say that he didn’t stand out at all; his personality and attire did plenty of that work for him, but physically it was much easier for him to blend into a crowd or sit in a coffee shop and just think. He hadn’t had the luxury to do so in Japan; standing out like an even more sore thumb between his clothes and blonde hair.

Blending in was a comfort Mello sorely needed now. It was nearly noon and yet he had been up since before dawn so that he could call his partner during his nighttime on the other side of the world. That call quickly turned from simple chit-chat and discussions of actual work to Mello being brought to orgasm by his own hand at the behest of his partner’s voice. The mere memory of the action still tainting his cheeks a pale red. He had been so loud, moaning into his cellphone like a wanton whore; begging for Matt to let him slow down only to be met with such crass little demands to keep going and to do so harder. The two last things his partner said to him was what left him in an American coffee shop staring down a latte that had long since gone cold.

_Let me finally fuck your perfect ass._

_I love you._

Those shouldn’t be so hard to process; well, one should be much easier to process than the other. Mello would have no trouble letting Matt lose his virginity and claim him when they were together again and not separated by an ocean. They had done nearly everything except have dick in ass sex so that was a barrier that didn’t seem so scary to cross. He had looked at Matt’s body with less than respectful intentions before and he had longed to finally rid his partner of his virtue out of a strange mix of lust and a desire to claim the male that had marked his body and heart years ago.

The second phrase...that was a more complicated matter. He understood it; understood it enough that even in his post-orgasmic haze that it sent a shiver through his body that nearly stilled his heart and quickened his breath. Did Matt actually say it? Did he finally say it? The word the two of them had danced around not just for the months they had been together on the investigation but for the years they had been together from their childhood, to the fucking rosary on his neck to now when his partner, his lover, said words so lofty that they sent him into a frenzy inside. So much so that when Matt uttered those words that sounded so lofty and so forbidden he simply panicked and hung up the phone, flinging the device across his hotel room.

He did little more than shove his pants off the rest of the way along with whatever else he was wearing to take what would be the longest and coldest shower of his life while screaming profanities to the showerhead over firstly, having phone sex at dawn and secondly, panicking and not giving his partner a proper answer. The answer should be simple. It should be “I love you, too.” and it is indeed “I love you, too.” but for some reason, Mello couldn’t form those words together and say them to Matt. This went against every bit of training he had: to love, to be close, to want and long. Love created attachments, attachments were a way the enemy can take you down and more importantly; attachments were a distraction. A distraction is exactly what Matt had been: the watching movies together, playing games together, the sex, the meals together; Matt was a distraction. But was that so bad? Of course it was. Mello had seen L’s notes. L was clearly too close to this Light Yagami, the very Light Yagami he suspected of being Kira and that closeness was likely what caused L’s death. Closeness was the only way that Kira could have discovered L’s true name (a secret even Mello didn’t know). Closeness was clearly what caused L’s death. Attachment caused L’s death. But Matt already knew Mello’s true name and Mello knew Matt’s. It was a secret they shared with each other years ago and then the rosary; the religious icon that hung around his neck as a symbol of protection: a genuine wish and prayer from one man to a higher power to keep his most treasured person safe.

Another sip of his neglected latte brought Mello back to center as he stared at his phone display and the mounting number of missed calls from Matt; he had been ignoring them since he hung up on the redhead earlier: mostly out of shame. He should just call: he should just tell Matt the truth; they couldn’t and shouldn’t be together. They could have sex and they could continue working together but their relationship, their bond, should not go beyond that. It should be easy to say that and yet every time he went to type out a message along those lines or call Matt to break things off; he just couldn’t.

He did love Matt. It was simple. He had always loved Matt and up until this point the redhead was too dense to see it. But now it seemed that Matt finally returned his feelings and at the least opportune of times. They were both in the middle of a high profile murder investigation. Besides, Matt did say it right after cumming: maybe it was just a fluke and Mello was overthinking it. Perhaps it was just the musings of a man whose brain was still mush after an overly satisfying orgasm. That was likely not the case considering how many worried and frantic messages he had received from the redhead.

This should be simple and yet this was somehow more daunting than staring down the barrel of a gun.

It was on the fifth time since he had sat down that Matt called that Mello finally picked up. Likely tired of the consistent buzz of notifications that a worried partner caused. “Yeah?” he answered, luckily the café was pretty quiet. He simply leaned back in his seat, hoping that the act of trying to physically relax would relax him. “You’re up late…” he started but was cut off by a litany of well-deserved questions and concerns. “No, ‘m fine. Sorry ‘bout earlier…” he said, teasing blonde locks behind his ear and shifting his cellphone up closer to his ear. “I...hey, no, you didn’t do anything wrong. Stop it.” he was trying to calm Matt down who seemed more than a little frustrated with him.

“You surprised me!” Mello exclaimed a little before remembering he was in public and he just sighed then. “No, I didn’t hate it. No, I don’t hate you.” he said, pinching at the little furrow in his brow from having to repeat what should be more than obvious but apparently wasn’t. His partner was unhappy and the silence between them was awkward for the first time in years. It was late in Japan, had to be. Had Matt stayed up all this time trying to get a hold of Mello before he felt comfortable?

Mello sucked in a breath and let it out, he collected his thoughts for a moment and he listened to Matt continue on about how worried he was. It was cute. The roles really had shifted from him as the redhead’s defender to with Matt content to be his loyal dog and his dog alone. His and his alone.

“Matt...just...fine, you, too.” he started and paused only to give Matt a moment to be silent before finishing his sentence.

“I love you, too. I’ll be home on Thursday.” Mello said on the heels of a little sigh before closing his phone once more and letting it rest on the table next to the now thankfully out of its misery latte.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are homecomings always this sweet? For all the times Mello had returned to Matt's side; it's never quite been this warm of a welcome.

“Welcome home, Mello.” Matt was of course the one to pick him up from the airport and save the blonde the indignity of another awkward cab ride fumbling through Japanese phrase books and enduring the stares of people not used to a man of his height, build or hair color. At least he looked more normal with Matt and that removed a great deal of the anxiety that came with being in a foreign land for work. 

“Thanks.” Mello replied, letting his duffel bag shift on his shoulder before it was quickly taken from him by Matt who seemed more than happy to see him. Matt’s enthusiasm and closeness was a little shocking; even though they had just told each other that the love between them was mutual, it still felt a little odd to have Matt openly doting on him in front of people. 

“I ran that tracking program again while you were gone. Got lots of new data points for ya’.” the redhead seemed quite proud of his work and that brought a little smile to the blonde’s face. Had he really been working so hard just to be praised? “So you’ve made more work for me to do and I haven’t even changed clothes yet?” He raised an eyebrow to his partner but it was mostly in jest. He was glad Matt got some work done during their time apart because from the way it seemed to him, his partner’s time without him was mostly spent in self-pleasure and video games. “

“Did you have a good trip?” Matt asked, holding the blonde’s hand as he led him past the crowds of people eager to be reunited with loved ones. “Productive enough.” Mello replied; had Matt always held his hand so tightly? Had his hand always been so warm? “You should come with me next time. That way I don’t have to debrief you.” Mello said before he realized the implication of what he had said. He wanted to travel with Matt; that was the implication, even if it wasn’t entirely false. “For sure. I’ll go with you next time. Easier to keep you safe that way.” Matt added but his grip tightened a little on Mello’s hand then. They had traveled before in the past, quite a bit, actually but never as lovers which was a thought that still made Mello feel a little uneasy and left Matt practically giddy every time he glanced over to the blonde, his blonde so close to him. How were they ever going to be able to work together now if they could barely keep their hands off of each other? 

Once in the parking lot, it was Matt who opened the car door up for Mello and Mello let out a little tut at the indignity of having the door opened for him like some delicate princess. Matt had taken his bag, opened the door for him and made sure he was safe and secure like a piece of precious cargo. Their drive back to their shared home was mostly full of business talk; discussions of what data Mello was missing, more urgency in actually solving the case, more pressure from Near but it didn’t seem so hard to recount such things with Matt’s continued urging on. Had he always been so supportive? Course he was. He always approved of Mello’s schemes and dreams but it felt different, it felt more genuine but fragile, like if the blonde lost it, it would ruin him. That infectious confidence in his ability and complete trust in him was not a crutch needed to survive rather than just an added perk of the redhead’s companionship. 

“Were you serious? About all those things you said on the phone?” Mello asked, leaning his arm against the semi-open passenger side window. Matt was doing his best to keep his eyes on the road but the occasional glances at the blonde perched so pretty in his seat was more than a little distracting to him. “Which time on the phone? The time we had phone sex?” he asked only to feel the blonde’s fist come in contact with his bicep. “Hey! I’m drivin’!” Matt exclaimed only to be met by another one of Mello’s little curses but at least now he felt the blonde’s eyes on him. “You know which time, you fucking brat. Tell me. Were you serious?” he pressed the redhead further. “‘Course I did.” Matt said quickly, giving Mello a smile that sent his heart beat into overdrive. “And you’re sure? You’re sure this is what you want?” Mello asked once more. “Mello, what the hell is wrong with you?” Matt asked, getting a little annoyed by being interrogated by his blonde. “Yes, I’m sure. I’ve been sure. Why do you keep askin’?” he gives the blonde his full attention now that their little car ride is over though neither have left the confines of the vehicle. “I just...listen, this shit is more common in the States. And I just don’t want you to be embarrassed or anything because you decided to shack up with a guy…-” but Mello’s little protests were cut off by Matt’s lips on his. He didn’t think he’d miss this; kissing, intimacy, closeness: he wasn’t supposed to be in love or be loved and yet he did little to stop Matt from kissing him. No, he leaned in and let himself sink into that want that gripped his heart and kissed his redhead back with vigor. When Matt pulls away Mello growls a little and dives back in for another kiss. They had been apart for a week and it didn’t matter that they were in the car still, seat belts became undone and the blonde gripped tightly to Matt’s vest. By the end of it they’re both panting; the confines of the car now unbearingly sticky and humid but they stay close together for a moment or two longer: training be damned, fate be damned, in this very moment even work be damned; Mello was home and back in his redhead’s presence after a week of meetings, he was going to enjoy his down time and he was going to enjoy Matt in every meaning of the word possible.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in bed; back with him; together again.

Sharing a bed was a comfort Mello never expected he’d long for so much. He had truly missed the solid warmth of Matt’s bare chest when he was sleeping alone on his little business trip. He didn’t think he’d miss sharing a bed, sharing heat but no, as he found himself jetlagged and still stuck in a purgatory between time zones and painfully awake he found immense comfort in the redhead’s body being so close to his. Matt slept soundly and now this time Mello got to watch him sleep. Delicate eyelashes framing eyes that usually peered at him through tinted lenses but he had always liked Matt’s eyes; especially when they were pinched closed when he was aroused or embarrassed. Matt’s gaze was usually so intense; like he was processing something at all times but when asleep he was surprised that Matt could look so peaceful. 

Mello was drawing little nonsense shapes on Matt’s chest, admiring how much the redhead had indeed bulked up in the last few years. It was shocking to think that the redhead had any muscle tone at all. Matt’s diet was energy drinks, cigarettes and whatever Mello happened to feed him. Had Matt been working out? It seemed impossible; the redhead seemed to only play video games and flirt with Mello during his free time. Was this physique hidden under baby fat or something? It seemed entirely unfair: Mello had spent so much time defending Matt only to have him not only gain inches on him but have a more impressive build than him as well. 

Why did he think that running away from Matt would make things easier? Perhaps he knew even then that their relationship was less than platonic. Maybe he noticed the shift in the redhead’s gaze from attentive to lingering. Maybe he was just being paranoid but he assumed that throwing himself head-first into work and taking what very well may be a suicide mission in Japan would be a clear enough sign to not be followed. Apparently, his plan backfired and here he was, curled up and feeding off of Matt’s body head as the redhead slept soundly. 

He just wanted to put distance between them. He didn’t want to break the other’s head, he didn’t think that was possible. He just wanted to keep Matt and by proxy himself, safe. He just wanted them to be safe. Was that so bad? Was he selfish for that desire? It seemed so now that they had shared their feelings for each other as less than that of simply partners. 

Mello’s train of thought was disturbed when he felt a pair of strong arms around him, pulling him in closer to the redhead’s chest. “Did I wake you?” he asked, just above a whisper as if now he was trying to be polite and considerate of his sleeping lover. “Nope. Have you been up this whole time?” Matt asked, nuzzling his nose into blonde locks that still smelled like shampoo after Mello’s shower. Mello just nodded and muttered something about jetlag into Matt’s neck. 

“Told ya’ you should’ve taken a pill for that.” the redhead grumbled, irked to have his beauty sleep disrupted by the blonde but now he was even concerned that his blonde wouldn’t be getting enough rest. The little bothered groan he got from his blonde almost made chiding him worth it. Mello was bad at taking care of himself: always had been, but now as he laid awake with his now disturbed partner he was starting to regret having not slipped a pill or two before going to bed if it meant getting a good night’s sleep with his partner rather than simply watching his partner sleep. “What’re you thinkin’ about?” Matt asked idly, mostly trying to keep himself awake and semi-alert at this stage rather than an actual desire to have a true heartfelt conversation at 3 A.M. with his lover. “You’d be surprised…” Mello replied, letting his arms tangle around Matt’s neck and sinking further into his embrace. “Tell me.” Matt urged him on as if being told would be something that would lulls them both to sleep. “You.” Mello started. “Us.” he finished. “You wanna give me more detail?” Matt laughed a little into blonde locks. “Just...stuff, it’s late; can we do this later?” Mello asked but based on the way Matt’s grip tightened on him for a brief moment, he wasn’t getting out of this so easily. “It’s 3 A.M.” Matt added. “How much later were you hopin’ for?” he teased. “When the sun is up later, you fucking dork.” Mello nearly raised his voice then but was content with just running his fingers through the redhead’s hair. “No time like the present.” Matt said with a little yawn, relaxing some as he felt Mello’s fingers press into his scalp. “If it’s keepin’ ya’ up then you shouldn’t wait...c’mon, just tell me.” The redhead was doing his best to be supportive and accommodating when it came to dealing with his partner and that only made Mello want to strangle him even more. When had his Matt, the now not-so little gremlin he had partially raised become so damn level-headed and mature? It would be cute if it wasn’t so nearly insufferable. 

"Fine...just...listen, I’m sorry…” Mello started but he paused a bit when he felt Matt’s grip go a little lax on him. Had he already fallen back asleep? Typical. Here he was willing to spill his guts for his partner only for the redhead to fall asleep. But Mello wouldn’t waste the moment to continue his little apology even if it meant having to apologize all over again when Matt was conscious again. “I’m sorry I tried to leave you behind. I’m sorry that I tried to leave this behind. Won’t happen again.” he said softly, content to continue to languish in the heat and safety that came with having a lover. 

Maybe he’ll get some sleep tonight after all.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting with Near has never been the most thrilling of experiences. Now, the meeting is even more tenuous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Early Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone! As always, your kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!

“You’ve been distracted.” Near was curt as ever as he moved his rook to D7. “Not distracted, you’re just a boring opponent.” Fine, black rook to E5. Near was twirling an errant strand of hair with his fingers, seemingly analyzing more than the mediocre at best chess game in front of him. The sterile white room that Near seemed to like to work in was miserable to Mello: no substance, just space. It was always hard to figure out what kind of person Near was. He was always quiet and always kept to himself. He rarely showed emotions, unlike Mello who for the most part showed his every emotion on his sleeve. They never got along, even as children. but the current state of the rivalry between them was really one-sided. Near seemed mostly to disregard Mello and Matt for that matter rather than embrace Mello’s approach which was to do things simply to spite the white-haired male.   
“How’s the investigation going? I’m sure we could have this solved if we just simply worked together.” Near asked knowing full well that in theory they’re supposed to be working together, a white pawn advances. “You know how the investigation’s going. You called me here to confiscate my notes.” Mello growled matching the pawn’s advance with an advance of his own black pawn. “You were withholding information on a case we’re supposed to be working on together.” Near’s voice was a bit more stern now as he met Mello’s gaze before returning his attention to the chess board on the floor between them. Near was more comfortable pressed onto his stomach and propped up by his elbows while Mello was annoyed and irked that Near apparently had some sort of vendetta against chairs and he was forced to sit cross legged as he sorted through what should be a more difficult match but was so far rather easy. “If you’re so damn smart, the information I have collected shouldn’t be that much of a surprise to you.” Mello shot back, watching as Near pushed one of his knights forward. “I’ve been told that I shouldn’t even ask where you got this information from.” Near gave Mello a little disapproving look as Mello let his gloved fingers caress and rub at the cross on top of his king. “Sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette.” Mello shrugged some with a hint of a chuckle in his voice, he retreated a bishop then to ensure his queen was safe. At least they were alone this time. Near was always flanked by two attendants that were too hot to be wasted on someone who shunned aesthetic and attraction like Near. Mello typically brought Matt along to most of his meetings mostly as muscle but any time the white-haired shut-in wanted to see Mello, he typically insisted Mello come alone: for what reason was unknown to the blonde. 

The sigh Near let out could rattle windows; he was increasingly exasperated by Mello’s strategy for getting information out of people. “The last time you attempted to ‘make an omelette’ we had to have the streets cleared of civilians and confiscate hours of CCTV footage that showed off your little gunfight with the local mafia.” the white-haired male replied, moving another rook. A square defense: Mello will have to work extra hard if he wants to take the white queen. 

“Then you should work faster, Near.” Mello hummed, content with his less than subtle jab as he moved a knight into check. Near’s affectation remained neutral but he let his eyes meet Mello’s smug gaze. “How’s Matt doing?” Near asked, knocking away one of Mello’s pawns. That did remove the overconfident smirk on Mello’s face; not just losing one of his pawns. Near had to know that he and Matt’s relationship now was a little (a lot) less than just that of being colleagues and while anyone else would assume Near was simply asking about a mutual friend, Mello couldn’t help but assume that this was an attempt to get under his skin. Unfortunately, it was working. 

“He’s doing just fine.” Mello said flatly, another pawn moved into place to take the spot of its fallen comrade. “Still in the States?” Near followed up, looking over Mello’s facial expressions. “No, he’s here. With me.” the blonde replied doing his best to stay focused on the game in front of him. Another pawn had fallen and the strategy he had put forward was starting to look a little less secure. “What brought him all the way here?” unburdened fingers tucked white locks out of the way as Near’s glances shifted seamlessly between the chessboard and the blonde in front of him. “He’s been working with me for years. Shouldn’t be so much of a shock.” Mello did his best to keep his tone even but on the inside he was starting to seethe. “Not shocking, no. Just surprising. That’s an awful long way to come for someone, isn’t it?” Near gave Mello a little smile then and the blonde almost let his king piece snap in half as he continued fidgeting with the cross atop the chess piece. “If you have somethin’ to say to me then say it, you little shit.” Mello growled. “No need to swear.” Near tutted “I was just asking.” Near finished his statement and his move. “It is a long way but I’ve made it worth his while.” Mello spoke more firmly then, happy to knock away a knight with one of his own. 

“I’m sure you two are working together well.” Near added, that sure of himself little smile made Mello want to punch him. Near paused for a moment before moving Mello’s hand from his now very abused king to take it from his possession. 

“Checkmate.” 

Mello had forgotten about the game a little while ago and when he looked down at the board to see his entirely captured queen and now stolen king he felt his teeth grind against each other in anger. “Thank you for the game, Mello. I look forward to seeing your reports this evening.” Near said. Mello got back with a loud groan, his back aching from being crouched for so long. 

“Go fuck yourself.” Mello said, more than happy to leave the game and Near behind. He will have to debrief on this less than successful meeting but what mattered most to him was getting home and ignoring the messy implication that Near knew about his less than professional relationship with a certain red-headed man.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well that meeting was less than fun. Hopefully, coming home won't be so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year, everyone. Thanks for sticking with me through this little story! I appreciate all of you so much. 
> 
> Don't worry, we're not close to the end yet. Just the new year has me all warm and fuzzy thinking about stuff.

“ ‘m home.” Mello said, opening the door and pulling his hood down before discarding the entire piece of clothing and throwing it across the entryway. Boots were also removed in the entryway as Matt had complained previously about the noise they made. Matt, for all his worth, poked his head out of the kitchen with a nearly ear-to-ear grin. “Welcome home, baby.” the red-head was more than happy to greet his partner. The pet name still rang a little odd on Mello’s ear but he turned his attention to the overly-eager male that greeted him. “What are you doing…?” the blonde asked, making his way into the kitchen; a place Matt rarely entered yet alone stayed in.   
“Makin’ ramen. Figured I was on my own for lunch.” the red-head replied, watching carefully as Mello propped himself up onto one of the kitchen counters. 

The electric kettle continued to bubble away: apparently Matt had just gotten started on his little feast of instant noodles. “How did your meeting go? How was Near?” the red-head asked, framing Mello with his arms and letting his grip rest on the edge of the counter. “Near was an annoying little prick as usual...he asked about you.” Mello said, meeting Matt’s eye that fortunately he could see directly without having to parse his lover’s eye color through heavily-tinted lenses. “He did?” Matt leaned in a little further with his question, planting a not so chaste kiss on Mello’s neck. “Mhm.” Mello purred a little as he tilted his neck up to accept Matt’s ministrations. “I told him you were here...with me.” the blonde said, nearly meekly at the admission. That did give pause to Matt’s apparent desire to claim his blonde on the counter, looking up at Mello from the place he was lavishing with attentive little kisses. “You did?” the red-head asked, a mix of trepidation and curiosity in his voice. Mello let his arms tangle around his partner’s neck and nodded. “Had to. But I don’t think it’ll be a problem.” The blonde tried to reassure his partner and sealed his little declaration with a kiss. Matt had become quite a good kisser now that he’s had some practice though when he got a little too heated, he got a little sloppy. Sloppy may not be the right word; eager was a better word to describe it with hungry little nips to Mello’s lower lip and a less than subtle attempts to slide his tongue into the blonde’s mouth. Mello was getting better at accepting his still somewhat inexperienced lover, giving him just enough access to the inside of his mouth to allow smooth muscle to glide over his palette and brush against the back of his teeth. Firm hands gripped to Mello’s hips and the blonde let out a little wanton moan into his lover’s mouth as this kiss became too heated for the kitchen counter. 

The click of the electric kettle brought their kiss to a stop, a disappointed sigh leaving Mello’s lips and Matt uttering a frustrated little grunt to have the moment halted. Matt reached over across the counter for the steaming and rumbling kettle and unplugged the device from the wall before diving back in for another kiss, pushing Mello further back onto the counter. The surprised little yelp the red-head earned out of his partner was more than worth it: lunch be damned, this would be an equally filling meal now that he was a different sort of hungry. Matt settled himself further in between Mello’s legs and the blonde rewarded him by wrapping his legs around the red-head’s waist; shamelessly pressing his hips into his lover’s front. As if the red-head wasn’t worked up enough simply kissing Mello, now having the blonde’s erection brushing up against his; he couldn’t help the few furtive little ruts seeking relief and friction. 

Their kiss had broken when Mello pulled away to moan, his cock twitching from his blonde’s attention. “Fuck…” the blonde muttered, nearly breathless as his heel dug into the small of his lover’s back. “S-sorry...you were so hot, you’re so fucking hot. Mello, I don’t care if Near knows, I don’t care who knows…” Matt said, or was doing his best to say in between short little breaths and small kisses to Mello’s cheeks and neck. “I love you...that’s what I know and that’s what matters.” his red-head was being romantic, something that Mello still was surprised to think that the nerd who could barely form a sentence in their youth was now not only amorous but romantic and charming. 

“Love you, too…” the blonde replied “Keep goin’, please...” he urged his partner on, earning a heated little noise from Matt as the red-head dipped in to kiss the front of Mello’s neck, leaving a less than subtle bite there. Mello’s hips dragged up and down Matt’s front in a long teasing little thrust. The blonde is very much spurred on by the throbbing length barely contained by Matt’s pants and the clumsy gropes to his hips and ass. Matt let out a little broken moan then, friction breaking his concentration as he looked back up into Mello’s eyes. “I’ll tell Near myself if ya’ want. I’ll tell him that we’re together and that it isn’t bad.” The red-head was nearly breathless then between desire and somewhat frenzied thoughts of defending Mello’s honor and defiling Mello here and now on the counter. “You will?” Mello asked, wrapping his arms around Matt’s neck and pulling him up closer to his face. ‘You’re such a good dog; protecting your master.” Mello whispered against the red-head’s lips. “I have such a loyal dog. And not bad looking either.” Mello raked his fingers through Matt’s hair and let his ankles cross at the small of his lover’s back. “Next time I see that pale little bitch I’ll tell ‘em myself that you’re my...well, my boyfriend. And I’ll show ‘em…- we’ll show ‘em that getting your dick wet isn’t such an occupational hazard.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mello's been working very hard; maybe it's time to take a break.

“Here.” a mug made its way to Mello’s line of sight. It’s full of coffee, still black but clearly thickened with copious amounts of sugar. It’s instant coffee but Mello won’t complain as it is easy enough for Matt to manage. Mello takes the cup from his partner and looks up at the pair of gentle eyes that offer him some sort of comfort after a long night of working. Near had been putting more pressure on the blonde to find more connections, more data, anything to hammer the nail in the coffin of their suspect. That was increasingly starting to mean late nights spent going over case files and having to leave Matt to go to bed alone. Mello made a little grumbling noise before taking a sip and Matt interpreted it as an order to “sit” or “join me” and Matt was eager to do so; joining his partner on the sofa and doing his best to be mindful of the discarded papers and files around the little nest Mello had made in the living room. Mello had wrapped himself up in a blanket likely some time in the night and was more than happy to sip on the coffee that brought warmth and energy to his tired body. Matt picked up one of the files scribbled with notes and scratched with a pen that had previously held Mello’s attention like his life depended on it. 

“What about this kid is so fucking special?” Matt asked, but his interest in the case was quickly taken away by the heat pressed to his shoulder. Mello had leaned against him and was now shunning work to enjoy some closeness with his partner. “I don’t know. He’s perfectly normal in every single way, highly intelligent with good grades...to tell ya’ the truth, I don’t know what L’s boner was with this kid outside of geography and possible motive with the whole ‘cop’s son’ thing.” Mello let out a tired sigh, bringing his hand up to rub at his eyes that still were not adjusting well to the lack of sleep. 

“So a normal lookin’ kid with the potential for a savior complex.” Matt added, letting his free arm wrap around his blonde partner. “What else do you get from being a cop’s kid? Easy access to guns, linear look at what good and bad means, affluence that most don’t have. Could make for a serial killer but without proof we can’t just cuff a student. Apparently that breaks the Geneva Convention or some shit like that.” Mello grumbled as if the Geneva Convention had ever been a concern to him previously. “And Near is dead set on this?” Matt asked, smiling a little at the blonde seeking warmth from him. “Near’s set on it because L was set on it. This is our guy; it’s just figuring out how.” Mello finished, grabbing the file from Matt’s hands and stealing away the red-head’s attention. The mug and file were set on the coffee table and now with Mello’s hands free, he wrapped the blanket that had been giving him comfort through his lonely night around his partner. Mello would never want to admit that he missed this, that he had been lonely at night and that having to send his partner to bed without him just for the sake of work was irksome. If it hadn’t been for Near being so demanding he could still work and keep up his nightly routine with his boyfriend. He still remembered the call he got from Near that was a little less than kind and was mostly concerned about the fact that the case seemed to stagnate; likely pressure from someone higher up than Near that just happened to trickle down and fuck with Mello’s plans. 

“Well, if we can’t get to the kid...we can get close to his loved ones, right? Maybe his folks know somethin’.” Matt inquired, starting to card his fingers through soft blonde locks. Mello simply hummed as he gave the notion some thought. The kid’s family had been open enough to working with investigation members; this could work, it just might work. Mello snuggled in closer to Matt’s side. “Not a bad idea, partner.” Mello put heavy emphasis on the word that bonded the two of them together and he snickered a little when he caught a glimpse of a blush creeping up on Matt’s cheeks. “We’ll have a little chat with the dad real soon. I’m sure he has plenty of information for us.” Mello added, leaning up further to plant a kiss on Matt’s blushed cheek. “You’re brilliant sometimes, baby.” the blonde purred before returning to his lover’s side and the comfort that came with being able to actually relax. 

“Just sometimes?” Matt let out a little laugh at Mello’s valiant attempt at being romantic. Mello certainly wasn’t the romantic type or the sentimental type despite how firmly the blonde held on to information and trinkets. Matt noticed the weight on his side along with the lingering heat that came from Mello’s lips on his cheek. “You’re gonna spoil me if you keep praisin’ me like that…” the red-head started only to be met by a look on the blonde he was not expecting. His blonde had fallen asleep. The always prepared, always on top of it, always alert Mello was asleep with his cheek pillowed against Matt’s shoulder. The red-head couldn’t help but smile; he so rarely got the drop on the blonde and seeing him in such a vulnerable state was a beautiful rarity that he had every intention of savoring. Well, Matt certainly couldn’t move now; and he wouldn’t want to disturb his sleeping blonde who more than deserved the rest. Sure, there’s work Matt should be doing but his most important job now was supporting his lover and if that meant being a human hot water bottle for his blonde, then so be it: it’s a job he’ll see through till the end.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little break from work is in order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading and keeping up with me. As always; your kudos, comments and more mean the world to me! See you in the next chapter!

Mello’s knife skills had improved, likely from the times spent brandishing a blade to keep people away if bullets were not enough. This time, instead of flesh that was being torn asunder it was an apple being artfully sliced to share with the red-head he shared a bed with. Usagi ringo was something the blonde saw in a magazine aimed at housewives but was entertaining enough to keep the blonde’s attention when he was skimming through it while his partner gawked over new electronic equipment. It shouldn’t be this difficult, slicing an apple to look like a rabbit: something housewives do to appease spoiled children or equally spoiled husbands. 

Matt was tinkering away with something in the living room; a motherboard or something. Work that for some reason required him to be nearly shirtless (and in a rarely seen sleeveless shirt) and his boxers only. The equipment always ran a little hot due to the demands the red-head put on his machinery and the sound of screws and pins being dropped and the acrid scent of soldering metal was something Mello never quite got used to but he did know that his partner was an expert tinkerer. There was a time when Mello could watch Matt work for hours; impressed by the way that circuit boards looked and the way his partner so patiently cleaned out fans but now he knew to give his partner space while doing so: the ritual of taking apart and maintaining his equipment was a way for the red-head to unwind; like time spent in prayer or meditation (albeit much sweatier and with much less clothing). It took Matt years to finally get up the courage to tell his blonde that being watched so intently was a bit daunting (mostly because having the blonde’s gaze affixed to him was a distraction enough, even before their relationship turned romantic). Mello of course respected the notion of a this time being sacred to his partner and did his best to give his partner the space required both physically and emotionally while he tended to his machines and gadgets. 

There. That should do it; okay, so if the apple slices are meant to look like rabbits then they’re more like the rabbits that have survived a horrible ordeal but they were more or less rabbit-shaped and Mello still had all of his fingers. This not-so nice plated offering will have to do. 

Mello’s footsteps were much quieter without boots on and as he made his way to their shared living room.   
Matt was in the zone, apparently, and did not hear his blonde’s approach so he flinched a little when he felt a bare hand grace his shoulder. Matt looked up and was immediately relaxed upon seeing his lover was the source of the at first unrecognized touch. “Hey.” Mello said, presenting the plate of somewhat rabbits to his partner. “Hey, yourself.” Matt smiled, taking the little offering from his lover. He examined the contents; were they supposed to be dogs, cats or some kind of odd chimera. It was an attempt and it made Matt smile. Mello settled himself down on the couch in a not so neatly tucked position. “You almost done? All I’ve heard this morning has been clanging and swearin’ from ya’.” Mello said, trying to quell the curiosity he had over just what had so captured his dog’s attention. “If I can get the processor back in, shouldn’t be too much longer. You wantin’ me to take a break?” Matt turned his torso inelegantly to face Mello. “Yeah, you should. I don’t think you’ve worked this hard in your entire life. I’m worried you’re gonna pass out if you don’t rest.” Mello grumbled but Matt could immediately tell by the little frown on his blonde’s face that this was just a front. His blonde was lonely; it was plain as day on his face and a loyal dog certainly could not leave his Master wanting. Plate in hand, the red-head scooted back some until he could rest between the blonde’s leg’s with his back against the couch cushion. “Eat. You don’t want ‘em turnin’ brown.” Mello insisted which brought Matt’s attention to the little gift his blonde had given him. “Tryin’ to make sure I eat right?” Matt asked, looking up at the blonde only to be met with a hand gently carding through his hair. “Someone has to.” Mello replied, less concerned about his partner getting an actual fruit serving in rather than the effort he put into it. “Are they supposed to be somethin’?” Matt asked, inspecting one of the cut apple slices only to have the grip on his hair turn quite harsh. “They’re rabbits, you fucking bastard!” Mello huffed but relaxed his grip when Matt whined. “Okay okay, fine, they’re rabbits!” Matt relented and relaxed when the blonde finally stopped abusing his scalp. Had Mello actually done something so cliché but so sweet? The first bite to what Matt had to assume was the head of what he now knew was meant to be a rabbit yielded with a slight crunch and a welcomed gift of sweet juice. It was good, a kind gesture that seemed unbefitting of such a vulgar and crass man. “ ‘s good.” Matt said, once done with the first apple slice. “When did we get fruit?” he followed up, turning his neck up to look at Mello; still seated above him. “When I got groceries last time.” Mello added. “Where’d you get a Gala apple here?” Matt asked before taking another bite. “Not a Gala. Fuji.” Mello corrected but was happy to see his partner actually put something in his body that wasn’t an energy drink. 

“Thanks.” Matt started before going after another apple slice; this one did look somewhat like a rabbit, “For makin’ me take a break.” he finished, being sure to complete the morsel. Mello wasn’t quite sure if he should receive thanks for this; he knew his motives were less than altruistic. He wanted attention, he wanted Matt’s attention, he wanted to break the red-head away from his work and if he just so happened to provide his lover with a little snack then that was just a bonus. “Don’t talk with your mouth full, you mongrel.” Mello tried to hiss those words out but they truly had no bite to them as he resumed tangling his fingers through soft red hair. 

“Can’t have you workin’ too hard on your own little projects.” he finished before leaning over to plant a little kiss on Matt’s forehead. “You still have plenty to do for me, don’t you?”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What a view; oh what a view, indeed.

The water in the shower slowed to a drip; that’s when Matt noticed the door to the bathroom was still open, likely to vent out excess steam. Matt was in bed playing a game on his handheld while Mello showered before joining him in what should be a quiet night’s sleep. But this night was a little different, the door wasn’t just opened a crack to allow steam to flow out; rather the bathroom door was about halfway open and if Matt looked at just the right angle he could see the entire outline of the blonde’s upper body in the semi-fogged mirror. Matt had seen Mello’s body plenty of times; they had done nearly everything but have the go all the way kind of sex people seem so determined to mark as emblematic as important but there was something unique about seeing Mello’s body without the blonde seeming to notice. 

Mello brings a towel to his hair, ignoring water as it drips from his body and he carefully dries section after section of shoulder-length blonde hair. There’s something seductive about Mello when he isn’t aware he’s being watched; those luscious locks that Matt has run his fingers through so many times still seems incredibly soft even while wet. Lower down was a splendid set of clavicles that Matt had once or twice traced his tongue over and bitten during one of their more heated makeout sessions. The blonde’s skin had always been perfectly pale in places yet less so than his own. Past his clavicles was a chest that was damn near enviable; pert pink nipples, a lovely curve to his chest that marked just enough physical activity for definition but hardly that of someone who spent an immense amount of time working out. Oh the noises Mello made when Matt wrapped his lips around those soft, pink little buds. 

Matt had by now nearly let his handheld drop from his grip as he continued to ogle his partner who was still blissfully unaware of what his slow and steady attention to detail after his shower was doing to his lover. The red-head could feel his arousal starting to brush up against his boxers but he wasn’t finished watching his partner and his partner was not finished drying off, apparently. Further down was his lover’s stomach; slender and lean and entirely smooth. So many times Matt had run increasingly confident fingers down that slim little happy trail down to where a towel rested just on Mello’s hips, impeding his view from the rest of the blonde’s body. 

While the red-head was practically drooling over his lover’s facade, Mello finally seemed to catch on to the little show he had been giving out for free to his lover; mostly because he was able to meet Matt’s eye in the reflection of the mirror. He wondered just how long Matt had been staring at him in silence and because of that Mello wasn’t sure whether he wanted to blush, shout or to simply go on as if nothing had happened. Mello opted for a mixture of all available options; though the blush was more of a reflex, especially upon noticing his lover’s now very obvious arousal pressing against the thin fabric of his boxers. 

It was Mello’s fault, really. He hadn’t noticed the door was open and now he had a partner who was looking at him in a less than innocent manner. Mello simply kicked the door open further and shot his partner a look. “You got somethin’ you’d like to say?” he inquired, only a hint of a threat in his voice. Matt simply shook his head, feeling a little like a child whose hand has been caught in the cookie jar. “Funny.” Mello started. “Judgin’ from that boner you’re barely hidin’, you have somethin’ you wanna say.” the blonde finished, his voice raised just enough for Matt to hear from their adjoining bedroom. The red-head wanted to find something to say, some words that were more eloquent than simply a hard-on but his blonde closed the bathroom door; halting his somewhat already impeded train of thought. 

A moment or so later, the door opened up once more and Matt was greeted with the sight of Mello in one of his t-shirts and only in one of his t-shirts. Oh how Mello’s slender hips were barely covered by the extra fabric and as the male crossed the room and climbed not into bed but rather straddled his partner’s lap. Matt had no issue putting his handheld aside now on the bedside table to let his hands grip firmly to Mello’s tiny waist. What Matt was not expecting was for Mello to be entirely bare underneath the shirt that covered up most of his chest and torso.

It was nearly sinful to feel Mello’s bare ass press just against Matt’s clothed erection; the little groan that came from his throat was a clear enough indication of that. “Did you enjoy your little peep show, pervert?” Mello asked, pressing himself further into Matt’s body; his fingers starting to press less than delicately into his lover’s shoulders. “I got hard and you didn’t even touch me...pretty sure that means I enjoyed it.” Matt was able to grit those words out as Mello’s not so light presses into his body became something more akin to a sinful little grind.

“That’s right.” Mello added, his lover’s hard cock pressed firmly to his ass. “You didn’t used to look at me like this.’ he purred, semi-damp blonde hair now a bit of a mess as he leaned in further to Matt’s face. “N-no...but you’ve always been hot…” the red-head managed as his hips canted up, brushing his clothed dick right up against the softness of Mello’s ass. This was a new and special kind of intimacy: no goggles, no gloves, barely anything keeping them from skin to skin contact. This heat, this closeness, this warmth: these were all things that Matt could certainly get used to.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dog should stand up for his Master.

“This must be important if you were willing to do this call on your own.” Near said, his chin neatly rested on his hand. Even on large screens, the white-haired male always looked small in comparison. 

“You’re the one that wanted a status report. Mello’s busy, least I can do is fill in for him.” Matt replied, he shifted somewhat awkwardly on the sofa; trying to get comfortable in front of someone who should be more his equal. Near didn’t feel like Matt’s equal: he felt inadequate in a way he couldn’t quite place. The times he had sat with Mello on these little meetings, the blonde was always so sure of himself but without the blonde to cover for him, Matt just felt alone and outmatched. But the redhead had a point to prove and thus he would do his very best not to let any of the anxiety show on his face as he did his best to stand toe-to-toe with Near; even if it was just via a video call. 

“So then, what’s your current status on the investigation?” Near asked, adjusting himself in his seat. It was in that moment that Near actually seemed like a person made of flesh and blood rather than some kind of spiteful little robot created just to make Mello’s life difficult and thus make Matt’s life difficult. 

“Current status is that we’re still huntin’ leads down.” Matt responded, though his answer was indeed vague. “And you called to tell me that?” Near’s brow lifted up some, seemingly looking over Matt with deeper scrutiny that usual. Matt never really paid attention to how Near felt about him; that was the benefit of being intelligent enough to be at Wammy’s House but not being intelligent enough to be directly in the running to be the next L. He got to hear Mello talk a lot about Near and the white-haired male’s little quirks for years without having to deal with Near directly. Dealing with his lover’s rival directly was an entirely different experience. For someone so small, Near certainly does have an aura to him; one Matt can’t entirely place. He isn’t sure if he’s intimidated or annoyed but just something about having to deal with his lover’s rival was starting to suck the energy out of him. 

“Are there new leads that you two are investigating, at least?” Near inquired, a slight raise to his eyebrow. “You’d know if you actually read Mello’s reports.” Matt shot back leaving Near for a small moment shocked at the red-head’s bravado. 

“Why are you posturing like this?” Near asked, to the point and with the tact of a sledgehammer. But the white-haired male had a point. Here was the usually quiet red-head with his arms crossed over his chest like some tough guy and acting clearly defensive over his action and more importantly: of Mello’s actions. 

There’s a unique hell to having a bluff called, especially by someone who can do serious damage to your daily life. It sent a little shiver down Matt’s spine but Near seemed unaffected as always, idly twirling white locks between his fingers. 

“I’m not posturing.” Matt attempted a growl but it certainly didn’t sound intimidating. ‘Yes, you are.” Near insisted and that was enough to get Matt to back down and let his arms uncross and relax some. “What’s going on with you? You never meet with me like this; you’ve rarely ever been the crass one between the two of you. We may not exactly be close but I like to think I know you well enough to know that all of this is a front.” 

Near always had a talent for saying just the right thing in the worst possible way; for someone with no social grace whatsoever, he was remarkable at reading other people in that cold clinical way L could but with less than half of the charm behind L’s ability to see through people. Matt shifted some on the sofa, letting his arms uncross and allowing himself the ability to relax but only so much. He met Near’s gaze head on and took a breath before speaking. “Listen, you’ve been givin’ Mello a real hard time about...this.” he gestured towards himself some in some vague attempt to hint at his and Mello’s now less than professional relationship. “He’s workin’ his ass off for this case and he’s doin’ great. I wish you’d just get off his ass about it. I love ‘im, okay. Always have; that’s probably pretty damn obvious but I don’t have any plans of letting this go; letting him go. I just want that to be clear.” 

Near simply blinked, owlish eyes focused on the red-head who so rarely stood up for anything, yet alone himself. He was quiet; not quite stunned but simply surprised to see such a display from the usually very quiet Matt. Near simply returned to idly twirling hair between his fingers before giving Matt an answer. “Well, that gives me quite a bit to think about, doesn’t it?” Near simply replied, his affectation flat as ever. “You both know you aren’t meant to be in a relationship like this; it’s fairly against the rules.” he added. “But if you are telling me that you’re certain that this isn’t affecting Mello’s work, then I guess I can overlook this little indiscretion.” Near finished with a small but hollow smile. 

Matt was concerned he’d have to pick his jaw up off the flow, convinced it had merely slid off his face as he listened on and went on the rollercoaster of Near’s words in real time. He tried to still himself and remain as unaffected as possible but if he was hearing correctly, Near was willing to keep a secret for the two of them. He wasn’t sure if he should trust Near; Mello would insist that he shouldn’t. But what other options does he have? “Fine...thanks...just, he means a lot to me. Mello does.” Matt clarified for some reason. “I really do love him and I don’t want work to fuck that up. You can understand that, right?” he asked the other male on the screen in front of him, hoping to find some human connection to the clinical male in front of him. 

Near paused for a bit, taking a moment to bring a pensive finger to his lips. “No, I can’t understand that. If that’s all then this transmission is over. Have your reports in by tomorrow morning.” and with that the call was over and Matt’s gamble was either going to pay off in spades or be the end of all they had both worked so hard for. 

Now, all he had to do was keep this whole thing from Mello.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well this did not go as planned.

It did not go well. It did not go well at all. This was supposed to be an easy interrogation; one Mello had done so countless times before. Rough up the target, threaten him, force them into giving up the ghost: it all should have been just another orchestrated bullet of violence and harsh words. That was not what happened as the chill of fall air hit one of the open cuts on Mello’s cheek; its sting all too familiar and yet wholly unpleasant. He kept his hood up not just to hide the indignity of a fight lost but also to keep the fact that he felt like utter shit hidden from the midnight passersby on the streets. 

It was a miserable and lonely walk home but at least he was well enough to be heading home. That’s more than can be said for the target that was less than helpful in his goal to solve the case: that man wouldn’t be seeing anyone except for maybe brief glimpses of fish as his body sunk down to the bottom of some water source .

Mello dragged his aching body through the lobby and up to the elevator that he had been in countless times and he finally let out a pained held breath once the elevator doors closed and he was once more alone. He let a gloved hand rub tenuously run over his still clothed ribs; no obvious fractures but it sure did hurt like hell to put too much pressure down in any one place.

It was late, hopefully, he could sneak by his lover’s gaze, clean up and go straight to bed: he’d have an easier time explaining any marks or bruises in the morning. Right now, he was too sore and too tired to have to explain that things went south or to have his red-head dote over him. Leaving the elevator and heading down the hall felt like such a long walk this time, the fluorescent lights stung his eyes and each inhale felt like a taxation. At least he was home. At least now Mello no longer had to subject himself to the tyranny of the other people. Though much to his dismay, the lights were still on: all of the fucking lights were still on. His partner, his lover, his dog had not yet gone to bed. 

The door closing was enough to stir Matt from the living room; he still had a screwdriver in his hands before he smiled and greeted Mello from afar. “Welcome home, baby.” Matt said oh so sincerely and it almost made Mello’s stomach turn as he did his best to kick off his boots with some semblance of order and control to his body; his hood, however, remained on. Matt closed the distance between them, taking hold of Mello’s still gloved hand and asking on and on about how successful his mission was. Certainly the mission had to be a success; all of Mello’s missions were some sort of successful. “So, how’d it go?” Matt asked, pulling his blonde down onto the sofa with him. Before Mello could protest, he felt his aching body hit the sofa cushion and he let out a less than elegant little swear at the all-over quickshot of pain that coursed through him at being moved like so. 

Matt’s face dropped when he saw pain contort Mello’s features and he quickly dove in to investigate further. He pulled the blonde’s hood back to see no less than five abrasions across his cheeks and forehead under his bangs, what would likely be a black eye come the morning light. Matt was stunned. He had never seen Mello in a state that was less than perfect. Every fight that Matt had seen Mello get into was a solid victory for the blonde, even if it did sometimes scuff up his knuckles or dirty his palms: seeing his blonde like so made him worry, even if there were still parts of him that hated admitting to such a thing.

“What happened to you…?” Matt quested out, removing the blonde’s gloves to carefully run his bare fingers over still wounded knuckles and sensitive fingers. “S’nothing.” Mello started before flinching once more as Matt inadvertently put too much pressure on his sore hand. “Just an interrogation gone wrong. I’ll be fine.” The blonde did his best to insist before he was face to face with his beloved. Matt’s expression was worried and stern, two things Mello wasn’t super his dog could muster. “You’re hurt...pretty bad from what I can see.” Matt said, he let his hand grace over one of the bruises on Mello’s cheek as gently as possible. Is this why having a lover made work so difficult? Worry? Mello never wanted Matt to worry; it was the reason he was always sticking up for the red-head but now seeing that little furrow in his brow of concern; it made his heart ache in an unfamiliar way. 

Mello leaned his injured cheek into Matt’s hand some. “Didn’t want this. Didn’t want you to worry.” Mello tried to say evenly but it was a little difficult to do with the warm palm soothing his deflated ego and his bruised cheek. 

“That’s what good dogs do. They take care of their masters; damn good care of their masters, in fact. And if you abandon me or get too hurt so that I can’t be with you or somethin’ like that... don’t think I’d ever be loyal to someone else again. And I sure as hell can’t solve this case without you.” Matt did his best to calm his semi-frazzled blonde before ducking in and placing a small kiss on Mello’s forehead. Mello wanted to protest: he was sore, surely sweaty, surely a mess, surely not presentable and here Matt was forever unconditional, loyal and loving. For a fleeting moment, Mello wondered what he had done to deserve such adoration but instead of stressing his already tired mind, he relented; he accepted the affection and gave in: he’d let Matt tend to his wounds and pride tonight.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mello at work: a site to behold.

Watching Mello work most of the time was a beautiful ballet. Sly little comments, occasional flirting, and the very supplemental very pointed threat. Matt was supposed to be working on another motherboard but he was a little distracted by watching his blonde pace around their shared apartment and have a less than friendly little chat with a potential lead.

Yeah? You sure you can handle me on your own? That’s a cute little challenge.

For some reason, those little comments were starting to do something to Mello’s loyal dog.While the red-head rarely tended towards jealousy, as he knew this was just part of the job, now he had an association for such words. He heard those tempting words when they were in bed together. He got to hear such teasing words and know they had meaning when they were both nude and panting and Matt was feverishly bucking into Mello’s hand or mouth seeking relief and release.

But you usually sing so pretty for me. Do you really have no more good news for me?

Had Mello’s voice always been so teasing, so lyrical? Matt had to assume so. He had grown so used to the subtle gruffness in Mello’s voice but for the most part was like a slightly husky little poem used to wind Matt up when tempting little words were whispered into his ear while he was trying to work and didn’t need a boner as a distraction. 

Not to say that Matt wasn’t distracted now between the erection twitching with interest in his pants and the small hint of color rising to his cheeks creating a heat that he could feel and a small rushing sound that was his very own blood circulating improperly in his body.   
He bit out a little curse as his bare index finger came in contact with some hot soldered metal on the motherboard: another little punishment for his inattentiveness and idle coveting of his lover.

That seemed to get Mello’s attention as the blonde stopped in his tracks, his boots giving him way. He took a few steps over to his sofa-seated Matt and mouthed an “You okay?” without taking too much attention away from his phone or phone call. Matt flinched a little, crossing his legs quickly hoping that Mello wouldn’t notice his not-so proudly attained hard-on that was barely beginning to brush up against the fly of his pants. Matt nodded quickly, hoping to assure Mello but the blonde only looked at him with more suspicion. Mello leaned in a little closer and pressed his bare hand to Matt’s cheek, feeling the warmth of the blush there. That only increased the trail of crimson that now threatened to breach the perimeter of his goggles. Oh Mello’s hand felt so good; so warm, surprisingly soft and his fingers were so tactile. Matt shivered when he felt Mello’s index finger ran over his cheek; never once letting his call drop or his attention waver much. Any hopes of Matt hiding his arousal was lost now and he leaned into the warm touch that wound him up so easily. He shouldn’t be doing this. Mello was working and he was probably distracting his blonde; but he lost any sense of guilt when he felt Mello’s weight start to bear down on him, the blonde’s knees now framing his hips and pressing him further into the sofa.

Listen, I have to cut this call a little short. I have a very needy dog here that keeps asking for my attention. We’ll chat again soon.

Oh this is good. Now Matt had Mello’s full attention and Matt was happy to reward Mello’s mercy with dropping his motherboard work and let his hands grip firmly onto the blonde’s hips; earning a little purr from Mello as thanks for his forwardness. “You’re a bad dog.” Mello did his best to chide Matt but there was no bite behind his words, his arms draping around the red-head’s neck. “Oh? A bad dog?” Matt mimicked, enjoying the weight on his lap. “You gonna punish me? Leave me in a kennel all day?” the red-head asked, feeling more confidence than he likely should around someone like Mello who very easily could have him locked in a kennel all day. 

“Maybe I should.” Mello added, leaning in to kiss and nip at his lover’s blushed cheek. “You knew I was on the phone. You knew I had business to handle for the case and yet here you are barely workin’ at all and with the goddamn nerve to pop a boner.” Mello said with just a hint of that authoritative tinge that sent a semi-aroused shiver down Matt’s spine. 

“Yeah, well, that’s ‘cuz you sound so damn hot on the phone.” Matt was able to get out before bucking his hips up and press against Mello. Mello let out a little curse then but grinned at his oh so eager dog who now apparently liked to play games. “If I sound so hot that you got hard listening to me taunt a lead then we should definitely do something ‘bout this.” Mello said with a less than innocent smile that shone bright with dark desires and temptations. 

They had explored each other quite a bit in the time they were meant to be exploring the case but when Mello’s lips crashed against Matt’s; how was he supposed to be focused on work? But there was one final frontier to cross: they’ve yet to have sex. That was mostly down to the fact that Matt was indeed quite the virginal maiden before settling into this new phase of his bond with Mello but luckily for the two of them; Matt was a fast learner. But in the back of Matt’s mind he knew exactly why they had not to say sealed the deal: it was the very flirtatious talk and charm with others that still made Matt feel insecure in comparison to the likely mountain of conquered and conquerors laid beneath Mello’s feet. 

There was no need to worry about that now; they’ll have their fun and the red-head would just have to find more ways to claim this wild blonde.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take me out tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me. The past few weeks have been INSANE in dealing with a snow storm, personal injury and various nonsense; so as a treat, I'm releasing the newest chapter a day early! Hopefully next week we'll be back on schedule.

It had to be a date, right? There’s no other way to describe it. Civilian clothes, hand holding in public, shopping together with careless abandon. It felt like a date, or at least the ones Matt had seen in movies of teens with normal lives that he got to occasionally illegally bring into the boarding school he and Mello and Near called home. The ones with the cute cheerleaders and so much pizza; the high school life none of them got to have. But those thoughts were not worth having when Mello slid his hand into Matt’s, as if to bring him down from the window shopping that Mello assumed was the cause of his held attention. 

“Don’t you already have that one?” Mello asked, trying his best to make it seem like the interest in his lover’s hobby was not quite as surface level as it truly was. Matt met his lover’s gaze and nodded. “Well yeah, I have the base model but this one comes with a glossier paint.” the red-head replied to which Mello’s feigned interest could no longer be held in. Glossier paint? The thing either of them could get anywhere? “You spend too much money on this shit...when was the last time you got me something nice?” Mello cozied into Matt’s shoulder. The blonde has his hair pulled back into a ponytail though it was rarely in the way or bothered those he would lay with or had to “interrogate”. Mello tucked his head underneath Matt’s chin. “You never tell me what kinda nice things you like.You want a new gun or somethin’?” Matt asked, trying not to be too bothered by the blonde cuddled up to him in public. It wasn’t even cold out, there was no way Mello could assume this was just a hunt for body heat. “I could always use a new gun.” Mello leaned in to place a semi-coy kiss on Matt’s neck.

Matt didn’t think Mello could ever be so outwardly affectionate: maybe he was just comfortable in these flimsy disguises or maybe, just maybe this was what Mello was always like inside; wanting to be affectionate and just not having an outlet for it. “If ya’ wanna go in the store and get the shitty ass gloss paint or whatever, let’s go. I’m not wasting anymore time with you lookin’ at dumb toys for kids. My handler says we only get a couple of these nights away and we’re supposed to use them wisely. We can try out one of those love hotels in those dirty comic books you seem to like so much.”

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That was about the time that Matt finally woke up in a cold sweat; though he remained still as he felt Mello’s arms wrapped around his waist. A dream; had to be a dream. And it was now just one of many dreams that had been floating around in the anxious red-head’s brain. Matt tried to steady his heartbeat so he didn’t disturb the sleeping Mello who had curled around him and sought the warmth of his bare chest in the night. Matt simply let out a quiet sigh and wrapped his arm around Mello’s waist; good, he hadn’t disturbed the blonde. 

Matt had been having dreams like this for a few weeks now; lusty, flirty, tempting dreams that likely stemmed from the singular thought that overwhelmed him at most of his free mental moments: he wanted to sleep with Mello, go all the way with Mello but he was terrified to do so. Getting a blowjob or handjob or even letting himself cum between Mello’s perfect thighs were close to the act but not quite so. 

It wasn’t so much an eagerness to lose his maidenhood or even the potential lingering jealousy that came with the understanding that this absolutely couldn’t be the first time around for Mello but more a desire to make Mello happy. Matt ran a gentle little touch over Mello’s cheek as he slept soundly wound tightly around his frame. Maybe then he had that dream and the many others that died by his sudden return to consciousness weren’t that far off base; maybe that’s what they needed to help move things along in their not so conventional bond: a date, a proper date. Yeah, that’s hard to do considering they’re both agents working on a high-profile murder case. Besides, going on a date was different than cumming on the face of the man one may or may not have strong feelings for. A date means intimate time together out in public: something the two of them never got to do. And what would they even do?! Sure, Matt knew plenty about Mello; the spot inside of him that made him scream, the sweet muffled little noises he made when pressed into the mattress, the breathless way Mello moaned his name when he was feeling good; he knew about the rosary that bound them together, he knew Mello loved chocolate above all else but there was so much more to know about the enigmatic blonde that would be incredibly useful to planning an a date. 

But it can’t be impossible; no, plenty of others plan and go on dates with no difficulty. Besides, if this could possibly make Mello happy, then Matt would try to conquer what is potentially impossible. Less than sure fingers carded through Mello’s fringe as he continued to be a greedy thief of body heat and comfort but watching that pensive face melt into relaxation finally made it easier to find his resolve: he’d take Mello on a proper date. The movies made it look so easy and they all started with the same three steps. Okay, those should be simple enough and with that framework, it should be easier to fill the rest out. Find a place that Mello likes, treat him to something he’ll enjoy and just enjoy spending time with him in a way that they rarely get to indulge in. 

Dinner, dessert, a walk through the park: yes, it would be perfect.


End file.
